Kill Haole Day

Kill Haole Day is the term for bullying incidents that occurred in most Hawaii schools, when non-white students would harass and attack white students. The incidents saw their height in the late 1970s.[1]

In his 2009 book, lawyer and former Hawaiʻi governor Ben Cayetano wrote that "Kill Haole Day" began as a news story headline about an incident between haole and local (not just Hawaiian) students. After that, "whenever there was a fight or an incident between haole and non-haole students, the news media", and newspaper editorial boards, "repeatedly reprised 'Kill Haole Day' in their news stories".[2]

In 1999, School Superintendent Paul LeMahieu said he was aware of "Kill Haole Day" but not of any significant incidents. Also, in 1999, it became an issue for hate crimes legislation.[3]

On December 31, 2008, the U.S. Department of Education released a report that concluded there was "substantial evidence that students experienced racially and sexually derogatory violence and name-calling on nearly a daily basis on school buses, at school bus stops, in school hallways and other areas of the school".[4]

The report also concluded that school officials responded inadequately or not at all when students complained of racial harassment. Students who did complain were retaliated against by their antagonists.[5]

While the reports conclude that bullying occurs regularly in Hawaii schools, they do not confirm the tradition of "Kill Haole Day" being actively practiced.