[HAWAII'S SCHOOLS]

COURTESY OF MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL Seniors Vy Dang and Hio Hong Wong read the school's Code of Honor while passing between classes. The code was written by students of the class of 1927 and is a tradition still honored by McKinley High School students.

Complaint threatens
honor code

A teacher disagreed with the use
of the word "God" in the school's code

---

By Leanne Ta
McKinley High School

On Dec. 27, 2001, McKinley High School principal Milton Shishido received a letter from Mitchell Kahle, president of the Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church, requesting that McKinley's Code of Honor be removed from public view.

According to Kahle, an unidentified teacher from McKinley High School sent a complaint to the HCSSC about the Code of Honor mentioning the word "God."

Recently, the HCSSC also received a formal complaint from a member of the Church of Satan concerning Kaimuki High School's dress code. The dress code, published in all Kaimuki student handbooks and on the school Web site, prohibited students from wearing "clothing and accessories which promote Satanism."

The HCSSC believed the dress code violated both the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. According to Kahle, the prohibition of clothing and accessories relating to Satanism violates the free speech, free exercise and establishment clauses of the First Amendment, as well as the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

Kaimuki High principal Gary Oyama agreed to change the dress code and deleted the word "Satanism" from the school Web site on Feb. 5. It was agreed that the Kaimuki dress code should prohibit "gang-related clothing and other clothing and accessories which promote drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or profanity" instead.

ABOUT THIS SECTION Each week, Hawaii's teenage reporters and photographers will tell us about their high school. This week's school is McKinley High School. Faculty adviser: John Newkirk Next week: Kealakehe High School

In contrast, the matter of changing McKinley High's Code of Honor will be taken to the courts. The Attorney General's Office has advised schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto to allow the courts to settle the matter. Hamamoto served as McKinley High's principal from 1992 to 1998.

According to the HCSSC, the matter has been referred to the American Civil Liberties Union.

McKinley High School, established in 1865 as the Fort Street Day School, has a long history. Through changing locations four times and changing names three times, many of its traditions have been lost.

These discontinued traditions include Senior Week, in which the seniors decorated the campus with the "senior colors"; the Mr. and Mrs. McKinley pageant; the McKinley carnival; and assemblies held every Friday.

The code, created by two homerooms that won a contest in 1927, is yet another McKinley tradition that may be discontinued.

Many teachers and students agree that more than enough of the McKinley traditions have been lost.

"It's heartbreaking to see one of our McKinley traditions being taken away," said Terri, a senior. "I believe we should keep it. It has never bothered anyone before, and I think it will bother many (people) if the entire code was to be taken away because of one word."

Senior Hio Hong Wong said, "As a senior, I am disheartened to hear that one of our honored traditions is being threatened by someone who obviously does not have any respect for the school and its traditions."

Principal Shishido added: "The use of the word 'God' is used in other situations: the song 'God Bless America,' 'In God We Trust' in our currency, and the Pledge of Allegiance. There is case precedence to indicate in the past that the word 'God' has been used. We're not recommending everyone believe it. It's their own belief. It's not a religious thing, as far as I'm concerned."

Click for online
calendars and events.