Key figures in the Kamehameha Schools admissions debate:

U.S. District Judge Alan Kay: The senior federal judge in the Hawai'i district ruled in 2003 that Kamehameha could continue its admissions policy because of its unique and historical circumstances: "The court finds that Kamehameha Schools has a legitimate remedial purpose by improving Native Hawaiians' socioeconomic and educational disadvantages, producing Native Hawaiian leadership for community involvement and revitalizing Native Hawaiian culture, thereby remedying current manifest imbalances resulting from the influx of Western civilization."

Eric Grant: Sacramento, Calif.-based attorney for both John Doe and Brayden Mohica-Cummings, whose families challenged Kamehameha's admissions policies in the courts. Grant argued that allowing Kamehameha to continue its Hawaiians-preferred policy would be akin to letting all-white schools bar the admission of nonwhite students. Grant filed the case together with local attorney John Goemans, who described John Doe's mother as a friend of his from the Big Island.

Brayden Mohica-Cummings: A Kaua'i boy who was admitted by the school in fall 2003 only to have the school rescind its offer after it learned that Mohica-Cummings has no Hawaiian blood. When his family sued the school, Kamehameha agreed to a settlement allowing Mohica-Cummings to stay in school in exchange for the boy's family dropping its legal challenge to the school's Hawaiian-preference admissions policy.

John Doe: A Big Island boy whose family is challenging Kamehameha's admissions policy. The lawsuit argued that the boy, who will be a senior this year, was denied admission to the school solely because of his race. The boy twice applied for admission to the school and was determined to be "a competitive applicant."

Dee Jay Mailer, chief executive officer, Kamehameha Schools: "Our current admissions and our current students will not be immediately affected by today's ruling. If our petition for hearing before the 9th Circuit is unsuccessful, we will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and ask the court to order an extended stay of the ruling until the appeal process is completed."

Kathleen Sullivan: The chief attorney for the school argued that the admission policy serves a "transitional" purpose aimed at bringing Hawaiians to educational parity. She pointed out that Kamehameha has programs beyond the school campuses that are open to non-Hawaiians and that the policy shouldn't be viewed too narrowly. "It's not absolute, and it's not permanent," she said. She also argued that Kamehameha receives no federal money and was established to serve a native population.

Nainoa Thompson: The Kamehameha Schools trustee and Hokule'a voyaging canoe navigator said it was unfair to put Hawai'i and Hawaiians in the same boat as other states. "Hawai'i is not like Arkansas, it's not like Wyoming," he said. Thompson added: "Yes, it is a day when we should be angry. But it's also a day when we've got to be collectively calm. ... You ask me how I feel, I'm weakened to the bone. I think my colleagues are, too. But it's a day to be strong, to hang on to your values, to stand behind your beliefs."