At the same time high school students around Maui safely walked out of class to protest gun violence without any sanction from authorities, a student at Hana High and Elementary School has been suspended for flying the Hawaiian state flag above the U.S. flag at the school’s flagpool. School authorities suspended 16-year-old Jesiah Malaikini after he refused to switch the flags back, according to this Mar. 22 KITV story.
“Our Kupuna being held against their will, being frightened, being hit for speaking our native tongue when it’s just being reminded every single day looking at that flag,” Malaikini told KITV. “We have no disrespect to the Americans, my uncles, my aunties, they all fought for that flag… It’s not that I’m anti-American, I’m just pro-Hawaiian.”
Malaikini’s suspension is in marked contrast to what happened to a group students at University of Hawaii Maui College back in February who simply swiped the school’s flags and took them to Chancellor Lui Hokoana’s office. But instead of getting expelled or sanctioned, Hokoana told them he’s in the process of getting a second flag pole installed so the two flags will fly next to each other, according to this Feb. 16 Maui News story.
In any case, you can click here to see a Go Fund Me set up to pay for a second flagpole at Hana High and Elementary School.
Photo: Pixabay
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