A private school in Hawaii says they will appeal a US federal court ruling that has overturned the schools' century-old admission policy giving preference to native Hawaiian children.
The case arose when an anonymous non-Hawaiian student applied to a Kamehameha School and was denied twice because none of his grandparents had Hawaiian blood.
Lawyers representing the student successfully argued that the school's admission policy violated the student's federal civil rights
The ruling overturns a decision in 2004 by US District Judge Alan Kay who tossed out another challenge to the school's preference policy, on the basis that it served a legitimate purpose to improving the socio economics and educational disadvantages of native hawaiians.
The Honolulu Star reports that Kamehameha Schools trustees and staff were upset over the Court of Appeal decision.
Meanwhile, the ruling to strike down the school's policy won't affect U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka's efforts to win support for his bill to grant federal recognition to native Hawaiians, that is due for a vote in the US senate next month.
