Two weeks ago, there was a racist incident involving the Mid-Pacific Boys Soccer team and a visiting player from the Punahou Girls Soccer team.

Video footage revealed several boys involved making monkey noises and gestures toward the Punahou student.

High School Principal Dr. Dwayne Priester said that he will be meeting with the student who was harassed on behalf of the Mid-Pacific community.

“I’m going to acknowledge the humanity that was taken from her,” Priester said.

Disciplinary action towards the students involved cannot be discussed by the administration because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects student privacy.

It is school policy not to disclose the name of any student being disciplined; however, one of the students involved is no longer a Mid-Pacific student.

Decisions regarding student discipline are sensitive and it takes time to determine (if warranted) an appropriate punishment. Punishment can range from suspension to expulsion, Priester said.

Priester explained that a committee composed of deans and faculty review each incident.
“The reason it’s taking so long is because we have a committee of adults making decisions. We really push one another to think about it in different ways,” Priester said.

Assistant Principal Rebecca Hodge, plans to work with Priester and Kahu Wendell Davis to educate students about racism during chapel. In preparation for these presentations, Hodge plans to meet with students during lunch to understand what they want to be discussed. Topics may include racism and homophobia.

Although progress on these difficult issues takes time, Hodge wants students to know efforts are being taken to eliminate racism from campus.

“I do want students to know that even if you don’t see things moving right away, they are moving behind the scenes,” Hodge said.