| 
| | PBA Students Participate in Re-Enactment of Vietnamese Fishermen v. Ku Klux Klan
Dear readers of the What's New,
Today I took the students of Dr. Benjamin Bruch’s “Civil War, Civil Rights, Civil Disobedience” class, mostly sophomores with a few juniors in the mix, to the Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole Federal Building and United States Courthouse to watch and participate in a re-enactment of the Vietnamese Fishermen’s Association v. Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which was tried before Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on May 10, 1981. The trial was an important one. Hearing a suit filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Morris Dees, the federal court in Texas was persuaded to disband a private army of white supremacists that had formed to intimidate Vietnamese shrimp fishermen in Galveston Bay, refugees who had fled persecution in Vietnam at the conclusion of the Vietnam War, because of their competition with white fishermen as they worked to pursue their economic livelihoods in their new U.S. homes.
| PBA has had the good fortune to participate in three such re-enactments in three consecutive years, the happy result of good relationships we have cultivated with judges and attorneys locally. This year, we were invited to the re-enactment by Senior United States District Judge Leslie Kobayashi. A significant enhancement of the program this year was that Judge Kobayashi and court staff asked participating schools, including PBA, to produce a short video expressing what one of the clauses of Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution means to them and to | 
| | play three roles for the re-enactment. Following a very informative presentation made by Judge Kobayashi about the co-equal branches of the U.S. government, the federal judiciary, the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution, and the Fourteenth Amendment, the trial re-enactment began, and PBA sophomores Ethan Harrison, Ambree Kakuni, and Amy Yoshida played the roles of Beam Supporter 1, a supporter of KKK leader Louis Beam, Klan lawyer Sam Adamo, and Narrator 2, respectively. They were joined by three students of Iolani School playing different roles, and other judges, attorneys, and law clerks rounding out the cast as the other students, teachers, guests, and I watched the re-enactment while photography stills from the trial and early 1980s played on the video screens in the Aha Kupono Courtroom. | | | Following the re-enactment, we were treated to a Q&A between Judge Kobayashi and United States Circuit Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen, who is active for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the first Asian woman on a U.S. federal appellate court. Judge Nguyen spoke of her experience as a refugee from Vietnam following the fall of Saigon in 1975 at the age of 10 to her experience as a U.S. attorney in California and eventual ascent as a trial judge for Los Angeles County, as a federal judge in the same state, and later, as an appellate judge for the Ninith Circuit. | | Several PBA students asked questions of Judge Nguyen, and I was very pleased once the program ended that Judge Nguyen asked several questions of me about PBA, a Buddhist high school that piqued her interest as I described it. Who knows but she and Judge Kobayashi will come for a school tour one day! Of course, I am most pleased by the participation of the PBA students. The inclusion of our students in the re-enactment made the experience of watching it play out come that much more alive. I have to believe that Ethan, Ambree, and Amy’s participation encouraged four other PBA students to ask questions of Judge Nguyen. I was also exceedingly proud of the video PBA students produced that played for those assembled prior to the start of the program. It may one day live somewhere on the website of the federal courts. In the meantime, those interested can see it on PBA’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kir_SfrMJLw The opportunity to consider and think about the Fourteenth Amendment was a precious one for the PBA students. Their video focused on the Due Process Clause. As a group, they focused on how the Due Process Clause “has their backs,” even if they express an opinion that is “slightly whack,” in their words. As I helped them film the video on location outside the federal and state courthouses, and also outside the state legislature, I was struck by the words of Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment codified in our Constitution after the Civil War: | All persons born or naturalized in the United States And subject to the jurisdiction thereof, Are citizens of the United States And of the state whereof they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law Which shall abridge the privileges or immunities Of citizens of the United States; Nor shall any state deprive any person Of life, liberty, or property, Without due process of law; nor deny To any person within its jurisdiction The equal protection of the laws. | 
| Aleigha, Ambree, and Amy had already recorded their audio takes for the video, and Caden joined them to film the B-roll for the shoot. They directed my attention to a mural at the Legislature, nine hands signing in succession the word “D-I-V-E-R-S-I-T-Y.” We thank Judge Kobayashi, Judge Nguyen, and all of our precious state and federal workers who work every day to protect the diversity we have enshrined in our nation, and for the opportunity to teach our students how important are these values we uphold.
Warmly,
Josh Hernandez Morse
Head of School. | | Alumnus of PBA's first graduating class and principal of Waiʻanae Elementary Sheldon Konno was honored with this year's Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award. | | Celebrating Creativity at the Artist Showcase | The Artist Showcase on April 3 highlighted an impressive range of student talent. Classrooms featured artwork from Ms. Verena’s drawing, mixed media, and acrylics classes, alongside projects from Mrs. Viloria’s Music and Society Peace Core and Ms. Megan’s Partnership in Aotearoa and Economic Origins of Inequality courses. Ms. Verena, Mr. Zach, and guest judge Ms. Tamyose from Hongwanji Mission School evaluated entries for the Dragon Artist Awards. The Voter’s Choice Awards were determined by showcase attendees, who participated in live voting from 4:00 to 5:45 p.m. At 5:45, Dr. Benjamin Bruch wrote each student’s name in live calligraphy in preparation for the awards ceremony. For those unable to attend, we hope you enjoy viewing the outstanding work of the award recipients featured below. The students have been working hard throughout the year to produce beautiful and thoughtful art and we’re proud of all the winners and entry participants. | Seniors in the Economic Origins of Inequality course raised $2,231 in profit at the Maker's Market, which will be donated to the Hawaiian Council’s Kāko‘o Mai: Emergency Relief for Flooding. As part of the project, student groups were tasked with budgeting expenses and ensuring profitability. Each group developed its own product with the shared goal of supporting the community. “It was a very educational experience teaching us real-world skills,” said senior Zac Robertson, who recently advanced to compete in Open Golf rounds. His team, along with Ilan Ampudia, Liam Antipala, and Jace Batara, ran a booth called Nirvana Nachos, generating $350 in sales. “Loading people with lots of nachos and toppings felt awesome,” said Ilan. “Economics was my favorite class this year.” The Artist Showcase is a great way for PBA’s supporters and community members to get a glimpse of daily life at the school. Students spend time in their classrooms, teachers circulate to support the event, and projects are actively being worked on. It offers a refreshing change of pace from more formal, school-sponsored events. That’s one of the reasons we value opening our campus to guests each year. | We look forward to welcoming you again next year! | | OFFICE HOURS
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
| | |
