Hawai‘i Scholars for Education and Social Justice

• In Event: Scholar Collectives Working for Social Justice in Education

Abstract

The work of Hawai‘i Scholars for Education and Social Justice began in 2018 when we
decided to write a research brief on the persistent underfunding of public education in Hawai‘i,
in support of a constitutional amendment that would impose investment property taxes to fund
public education (Hawai“i Scholars for Education & Social Justice, 2018). Hawai’i is the only
state in the U.S. where education is administered by a state-wide school district and funded by
state income taxes. Our brief synthesized the research on how the underfunding of public
education disproportionately affected Native Hawaiian and Filipino Americans who comprise the
majority of public school enrollment, as well as students from low-income backgrounds. Nearly
120 Hawai‘i based scholars signed the brief. Unfortunately, after intense lobbying from real
estate and other business interests, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court invalidated the ballot initiative for
the constitutional amendment, citing vague language.

Author

• Lois A. Yamauchi, University of Hawaii - Manoa