HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2026-01COUNTY COUNCIL
COUNTY OF KAUA'I
l\,cso I utf on~. 2026;_01
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AND REAFFIRMING THE KAMEHAMEHA
SCHOOLS' ADMISSIONS POLICY, MISSION, AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY
WHEREAS, Princess Bernice Pauahi Paki was born on December 19, 1831, the
hiapo of Abner Paki and Laura Konia, in their family home known as 'Aikupika in
Honolulu; her father was a high chief from Moloka'i who served in the House of
Nobles and as an Assistant Judge of the Supreme Court, and her mother was an ali'i
who served in the House of Nobles; and under the Hawaiian tradition of hanai,
Princess Pauahi was raised by Kina'u, eldest daughter of Kamehameha I, and her
husband Mataio Kekiianao'a, Governor of O'ahu, as their own; and
WHEREAS, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop ("Princess Pauahi") witnessed the
rapid decline of the Native Hawaiian population during the 19th century due to
disease, cultural disruption, and displacement from ancestral lands, and through her
1883 will established the Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate ("Bishop Estate"), a
charitable trust dedicated to founding schools for Native Hawaiian children; and
WHEREAS, Princess Pauahi believed that education was essential to the
survival, advancement, and well-being of the Hawaiian people, and expressly directed
the trustees of Bishop Estate to create the Kamehameha Schools, giving preference
to "Hawaiians of pure or part aboriginal blood," with special care for orphans and
indigent children; and
WHEREAS, following Princess Pauahi's passing in 1884, the Kamehameha
Schools were formally established in 1887 and have since served as a foundational
educational institution for Native Hawaiians across the pae 'aina; and
WHEREAS, the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893
exacerbated the social, cultural, and economic challenges Princess Pauahi sought to
remedy, and these impacts continue to affect Native Hawaiians, including those
living on the island of Kaua'i; and
WHEREAS, the United States formally acknowledged its role in the overthrow
through Public Law 103-150 (the "Apology Resolution"), which also recognized the
need for reconciliation between the United States and Native Hawaiians; and
1
WHEREAS, since 1910, Congress has enacted more than 250 statutes relating
to Native Hawaiians, including the Native Hawaiian Education Act, which recognizes
the unique educational needs of the Native Hawaiian community; and
WHEREAS, despite these efforts, Native Hawaiians continue to experience
disparities in educational outcomes, economic opportunity, and access to culturally
grounded learning environments; and
WHEREAS, the Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy-designed as a
remedy to historic and ongoing disadvantage-has been repeatedly challenged in
federal courts yet consistently upheld, including a significant 2006 ruling by the
United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that affirmed its legality and cultural
purpose; and
WHEREAS, new legal challenges, including one brought by Students for Fair
Admissions, threaten the 140-year-old admissions policy specifically crafted to fulfill
Pauahi's charitable intent and support the educational needs of Native Hawaiians;
and
'WHEREAS, the Kamehameha Schools continues to honor Princess Pauahi's
legacy through its three (3) K-12 campuses, thirty (30) preschools, extensive
scholarship programs, community collaborations, 'aina-based education initiatives,
and outreach programs benefiting families statewide, including on Kaua'i, ~11 funded
through its private endowment without reliance on federal funding; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the County of Kaua'i ("Council") recognizes the
profound cultural, educational, and historical importance of the Kamehameha
Schools and believes that Princess Pauahi's legacy should be preserved and protected
for present and future generations of Native Hawaiians; and
WHEREAS, the Council further supports the trustees of the Bishop Estate in
fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities to uphold the charitable trust established by
Princess Pauahi and to ensure its mission remains intact and free from unwarranted
interference; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUA'I ,
STATE OF HAWAI'I, that the Council strongly supports and reaffirms the
Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy, mission, and its contributions to the Native
Hawaiian community, and the preservation of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's
legacy for future generations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council urges all levels of government
to respect Princess Pauahi's charitable intent and the legal and cultural foundations
of the Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy.
2
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this Resolution shall be
transmitted to Governor Josh Green, M.D., Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi,
Speaker of the House Nadine K. Nakamura, Livingston "Jack" Wong, Chief Executive
Officer of the Kamehameha Schools, and County of Kaua'i Mayor Derek S.K.
Kawakami.
Introduced by:
MEL RAPOZO
C\~~tuA·
KIPUKAI KU ALI'I
V:'\RESOLUTIONS\2024-2026 TERM\Resolution -Supporting and Reaffirming the Kamehameha
Schools Mission and Its Contributions to the Native Hawaiian Community (MR KK) AAO_dmc.docx
l!!Pe ~av
~ulosan X
QCarbalbo ->--
Q[obJl:ren X I
J!,ollanll X I
18.anesbiro X I
18.uali'i X
3Rapo~o X j
'filotal 6 0
Qfxcu~eb 31\ecu~eb
X
1 0
Qtertifi cate ~f ab option
We berebp certifp tbat 3Resolution ~o. 2026-01
was al:roptel:r bp tbe QCouncil of tbe QCountp of Jkaua'i, ~tate of
1!'>atuai'i, 1Libu'e, 18.aua'i, J!,atuai'i, on January 7, 2026
QCbairman & llresil:ring <!&fficer
2026
3