Kamehameha alumni concerned

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

While the investigation into alleged sexual misconduct continues at Kamehameha Schools, the larger community of graduates is waiting for the official response and hoping their alma mater can weather yet another storm.

They may have to wait for some time: The official word from the campus is that all the facts are not yet in concerning allegations of several students being involved in sexual activity that was videorecorded.

"The investigation is not completed," said Ray Soon, Kamehameha Schools' vice president for community relations and communications. "It continues and it will continue for a while."

The school has not released any details. Police are not involved in that inquiry, Assistant Chief Henry Lau said yesterday. Lau, who is in charge of Honolulu Police Department criminal investigations, said police had not received a formal complaint that would open a probe.

Meanwhile, there's no small degree of frustration with the chatter going on in the mass media, including Internet chat sites as well as news reports. Antoinette Lee, a graduate who has been active with the O'ahu alumni group, expressed distress with conflicting reports over the number and type of videorecordings and other facts of the case.

"There's no way to substantiate whether it's correct information or not," Lee said. "The subject itself is really upsetting.

"If it's true, those kids need to be expelled, but there's no way to know. It spreads more hate and discontent and disgruntlement."

Lee and other graduates agreed that this latest controversy comes at a difficult time for the school, with impending rulings on two court challenges of its Hawaiian-preference admission policy.

"Kamehameha seems to be in the thick of selling newspapers this week, the last few months, the last few years," she said. "We have a lot on our plate... (and) it is concerning, because we care about our school and what's going on in it."

Jan Dill is president of Na Pua a Ke Ali'i Pauahi, a nonprofit organization formed to support the will of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the school founder. Dill said Kamehameha has made progress in engaging the community in school affairs, calling the latest furor an "unfortunate" development.

"I don't think Kamehameha is alone in struggling with these issues," Dill said. "But whatever happened, the school has to clearly lay out its commitment to correct behavior, and it has to reflect Pauahi's values.

"Slowly Kamehameha is starting to understand that there is a huge reservoir of support if they stand up and work for the values that Pauahi represents."

Terry Plunkett heads the alumni association's East Hawai'i region, and from his Big Island home in Kaumana, he said he's "waiting for the party line to come down on this."

"Those of us who love our school and hope to see our kids succeed are pained," he said. "In certain quarters people are saying, 'Why didn't the school come out with a stronger statement?'

"But let's not charge ahead until we have more information."

Kamehameha president Michael Chun declined to speak about the situation, although the school confirmed that he has addressed student groups about the issue.

Kamehameha students noted that the controversy has been a distraction. Kamehameha's boys and girls volleyball teams played in Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship matches this week at the schools' Kekuhaupi'o Fieldhouse. Both lost, but players said the swirl of attention surrounding the suspensions was not a major problem.

"Well, yeah, it was the talk of the school, but we were able to keep our focus on the match," Mounia Nihipali said after Wednesday's loss to Punahou.

Fellow senior Adam Tuifagu of the boys team said pretty much the same thing.

"There was a lot going on this week on and off the court, but we focused on what we needed to do," Tuifagu said after last night's five-game loss to Iolani.

Roy Benham, an alumnus and a member of Kamehameha's board of advisers, said he has spoken to other graduates who expressed confidence that Chun will handle the problem.

"We seem to feel that the press has gone all out on this, and we don't understand why," he said. "This is a school situation. Let the school work with the parents and the students and they'll work something out, hopefully, that will help the students. Let it go at that, for crying out loud."

Staff writer Wes Nakama contributed to this report. Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.