Bill > HR24

This Resolution urges the Board of Education and Department of Education to change the name of President William McKinley High School back to its original name, Honolulu High School, and to remove the statue of President William McKinley from the school grounds. The resolution argues that the school's current name and the statue were established as part of a political strategy to assert American control over Hawaii, particularly following the "Newlands Resolution" in 1898, which illegitimately claimed U.S. annexation of the Hawaiian islands. It highlights that this annexation led to the displacement and cultural suppression of Native Hawaiians and that the school system was used for indoctrination. The resolution also points to President McKinley's actions regarding Native Americans and the Five Civilized Tribes as further reasons for removing his name and likeness, and notes that other schools have taken steps to address racially insensitive symbols, aligning with a broader effort to heal historical trauma and promote racial equity.