Dear Dr. Latham and Punahou School Board of Trustees,

We, Punahou School Alumni, students, and community members, are deeply concerned and disappointed by the actions of recently nominated Punahou Trustee John Morgan ‘74. As CEO of Kualoa Ranch, Morgan has recently acquired and authorized excavation and other construction at 49-51 Johnson Road in Hakipuʻu, an ahupuaʻa filled with iwi kūpuna (ancestral remains) and other significant Hawaiian cultural and religious sites. When asked by lineal descendants of these iwi kūpuna to pursue safe, legal, and culturally sensitive methods in developing this property, we understand that Mr. Morgan dismissed these requests as unreasonable and insisted that work would continue as planned. This dismissal came even after multiple members of the Oʻahu Island Burial Council (OIBC) strongly urged Morgan to inform the ‘ohana of any work performed on the property while the Ranch and OIBC developed an official preservation plan, in direct consultation with lineal descendants, as required by law.

On the morning of June 17, 2020, when Hakipuʻu community members blocked access to the property to protect this wahi pana (storied place), police were called and attempted to mediate the situation. However, Morgan was only willing to cease plumbing work “today,” with no promise of safety tomorrow, and proceeded to have two community members arrested. In doing this, we believe Mr. Morgan placed his private and corporate interest above the ancestral rights of Native Hawaiians, who only seek to protect their ʻāina and their iwi kūpuna.

As Punahou alumni, we have been taught to embrace principles of empathy, interconnectedness, and social responsibility. The “Aims of a Punahou Education,” as outlined on Punahou’s website, include teaching students “to foster personal and social responsibility by developing empathy and compassion, while cultivating moral reasoning that leads to moral action, personal leadership, and engaged citizenship.” Additionally, Punahou students and alumni are meant “to integrate Hawaiian values and culture in ways that can extend and deepen their learning.” Mr. Morgan’s actions appear to not only disregard these aims, but also directly contradict them. If these are the goals we have for our students, we must hold those in leadership positions to the same standards.

Punahou calls upon its leaders to “[build] on the School’s legacy by driving innovation while holding fast to important traditions. . . honoring the distinctive culture created by the two founding gifts of the School – land from Hawaiian aliʻi and Protestant missionary’s educational vision.” Mr. Morgan’s actions suggest that he holds little regard for Punahou’s first gift. A true leader leads unselfishly, dynamically, and confidently, with the greater needs of the community in mind.

According to our mission statement, Punahou aims to “provide an environment where students can develop moral and spiritual values consistent with the Christian principles on which [the School] was founded, affirming the worth and dignity of each individual.” Moreover, Punahou’s mission also states that the School will provide an environment where students can “appreciate cultural diversity and develop social responsibility.” We believe that Mr. Morgan, as an extension of Punahou in both his alumni status and new position on the Board of Trustees, has directly defied the School’s mission in his disregard for the deep cultural significance of this place and the living Hawaiians who continue to steward this ‘āina. It appears to us that fundamentally, Mr. Morgan and the Ranch have not been good neighbors, and that the current conflict is just the latest episode in a pattern of disrespect for lineal descendants stretching back generations.

To remain silent when witnessing an act of apparent disrespect and injustice by someone from our own community would be to abandon the values instilled in us during our Punahou education. Furthermore, the appointment of Mr. Morgan as a member of the Board of Trustees implies, at minimum, the Board’s complicity in his actions. While we acknowledge the positive impacts Mr. Morgan has had on the Punahou community over the years, his recent actions suggest that he is not suited to uphold Punahou’s principles and mission as a member of the Board of Trustees.

For these reasons, the undersigned Punahou alumni and community members ask that Mr. Morgan cease all work—landscaping, plumbing, excavation, grading, grubbing, and all other construction—until the following are completed:
1. Investigations by the Clean Water Branch and Wastewater Branch into the broken cesspool that discharged pollutants into nearshore marine waters;
2. Preparation of an Archaeological Inventory Survey Plan (AISP); and
3. Finalization of an Archaeological Inventory Survey (AIS), in consultation with lineal descendants.

We also ask that Mr. Morgan remove the gate from across Johnson Road at the entrance to Mr. Morgan’s property so they can access burial sites and protected Kuleana resources and exercise their rights at burials and sites along what is historically the Kanohoanahopu Trail, as is their legal right.

In addition, we call on you to leverage your considerable privilege as leaders of one of the most powerful and influential institutions in our islands to support the Hakipu‘u ‘ohana and their stewardship of Hakipuʻu from within our Punahou community. We ask you to:

1. Request that Mr. Morgan halt all construction on the Johnson Road property pending completion of an Archaeological Inventory Survey with full consultation of lineal descendants, pursuant to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes chapter 6E;
2. In the event Mr. Morgan refuses to do so, revoke his appointment to the Board of Trustees, as such action on his part would directly contradict and undermine Punahou’s commitments to social responsibility and equality; and
3. Release statistics on the makeup of the Board and all positions of administrative power at Punahou, to provide transparency regarding Punahou’s commitment to embrace diversity, equality, and inclusion.

We believe Punahou School has a great opportunity to fulfill its mission statement and commitment to “becom[ing] a private school with a larger public purpose” by protecting these iwi kūpuna and the community that cares for them. We await your action and response.

The undersigned Punahou School alumni and community members:

Shannon Pōmaikaʻi Hennessey '15
Danielle Sato ‘15
Taylor Marielle Melelani McPherson ‘16
Gabrielle Pascual ‘15
Kaitlin Pilialoha Hennessey ‘18
Anela Apo Higgins ‘16
Chloey Kuʻupuaʻānela Ishii ‘17
Aimee Haseyama ‘19
Meghan Lai '15
Sarah Pascual ‘14
Kyle Zweng '14
Bailey Thibault ‘16
Race Agcaoili ‘18
Bailey Monick ‘15
Scott Nishioka ‘15
Maya Schlack '15
Kawehi Kala’au Apo ‘89, parent ʻ16
Marlene Springer Kala’au ‘60
Deborah Ann Lum, parent '15, '18
Kawai Lehua A’kalena Santiago ‘15
Rachel Rosenfeld ‘15
Randolph P. Hennessey, Jr., parent '15, '18
Mary Zweng '20
Gregory Loui ‘15
Johanna Au ‘15
Monica Mendoza ‘15
Koji Clark ‘13
Kelly Correa ‘15
Will Lichty '95
Lia Wong ‘18
Malia Brooks ‘16
Mahesh Cleveland ‘94
Annie Wei ‘15
Richard Sayama '15
Tim Yee, parent '14
Michelle Makalua-Yee, parent '14
Emily Confalone '15
Daphne K. Jenkins-Holbrook '95
Shirley Lin ‘15
May Niiya ‘16
Kelia Brooks '15
Leah Fitzgerald ‘14
Jenna Koyama '14
Jonathan Liang ‘15
Claire C. Nobuhara ‘15
Shivani Manghnani ‘94
Sienna Ogawa ‘15
Chascity-Mae Sarmiento ‘15
Lauren Chong ‘16
Isaac Nakamura ‘15
Emma Choy ‘15
Wesley M. K. Pratt ‘96
Akiko Bates ‘15
Nathaniel Aune ‘15
Ashley Do ‘14
Dr. Evan Reppun Beachy '94
Aleina Radovan ‘14
Elyse Nakamoto ‘16
Zachary Kaan '15
Brianna Hartner ‘15
Devin Debouk ‘15
Julia Sitch ‘15
Kaci X. Tavares ‘15
Dane Kū Blake ‘16
Tehina Kahikina ‘18
Calais Nobuhara ‘17
Ian ‘Akahi Masterson ‘89
Kyoko Bristow ‘92
Ke’alohi Worthington ’15
Cynthia Tavares, parent ’15
Kawena Tavares, parent ‘15
Amber Mirafuentes ‘16
Nanea Tuttle ‘15
Alexandra Cooper ‘15
Malia Kiang, ‘18
Jessica Gum ‘15
Kaitlyn H. Terayama ‘15
Tai Masuda ‘17
Koalani Lagareta ‘94
Odelia Moon ‘15
Sophia Kim ‘16
Julian Juarez 12’
Connor Barfield ‘15
Makanani Kaaua '72
Paul Goo ‘16
Kacey Morichika ‘16
Isabel Pentland ‘16
Kaycie Matsukado ‘18
Ma’ili Yee ‘14
Courtney Ugale ‘12
Ryan Towata ‘94
Madison Miura ‘16
Julia Barruga ‘15
Jaime Durso ‘13
Reina Takaki ‘16
Kisa Matlin ‘13
Lauren Hanabusa ‘15
La’akea Marquez ‘14
Ku’ulei Neher ‘19
Kaylen Kuo ‘18
Ezra Levinson ‘23
Quinn Takashima ‘12
Thea Leiato ‘14
Megan Takemoto ‘14
Abbey Holland ‘17
Sunhi Keller ‘17
Jerick Nomura ‘17
Jake Chouljian '18
Chastyn Cabatu ‘20
Chastyn Cabatu ‘16
Lucas Cusick ‘16
Allison Candelario ‘17
Alexandra Ashimine '15
Saaya Miyashiro ‘16
Taylor Date ‘14
Maya Portner ’95
Erica Ito ‘17
Bridgette Dodge ‘15
Nicolas Chaudron ‘17
Kiana LeClaire ‘16
Carter Nakamoto '17
Amanda Wong '15
Om Chitnis ‘15
Kristen Koike '18
Lee-Won Fulbright '17
Jordan Nishina ‘17
Grant Sugimura ‘15
Emma Chun ‘17
Julia Arnade-Colwill ‘17
Konti Pellegrin '95
Sarah Spero '74
Malia Boyd, ‘87
Brenda Dimaya ‘14
Yu-Jin Cho ‘17
Isabella Yerton '19
Kristi Tolentino ‘14
Brenda Dimaya '14
Kylie Swider ‘15
Angeline Zhou '16
Elizabeth Menchaca-Guhl ‘15
Shannon DeWeese ‘15
Andrew Sakaguchi ‘88
Ka’aha McAfee-Torco ‘12
Anna Koerner ‘15
Taimane Lopes '96
Howard McPherson ‘72, parent ‘02, ‘16
Lamala Lopes, daughter of alum
Kristen Takebayashi ‘16
Perry Onaka ‘15
Patricia Paulino ‘16
Yuki Saito ‘16
Aiko Leong ‘16
Kira Morikawa ‘17
Tessa Scott ‘16
Emile Oshima ‘13
Brad Kawano '13
Thea Leiato ‘14
Robert Nakihei IV ‘16
Alison Wu ‘17
Remy Fung ‘19
Michelle Nagata '15
Justin Lee ‘13
Kylie Ishii ‘15
Johnny Richardson ‘15
Hayden Brown ‘20
Kaile’a Moseley ‘16
Marissa Takebayashi ‘16
Naima Moore ‘18
Jordan Nishina ‘17
Erika Kusaka ‘19
Kimberly A. Oi ‘02
Deborah Dickinson ‘17
Joy Andres ‘15
Zoe Robinow ‘13
Emily Schlack '11
Rachelle Tom ‘11
Marissa Yuen ‘13
Shelbie Fujinaga ‘14
Allisen Corpuz, ‘16
Abigail Bautista '15
Ciera Young ‘16
Meleana Coito ‘15
Lisa Smith Salkever '80
Kelly Kwan '14
Hilary Song '15
Amy Sanderson ‘11
Cody Tavares ‘11
Daena H. Smith ‘16
Sephra Engel ‘11
Hilary C. Arakaki ‘98
Lauren Au ‘15
Emily Rapoza '15
Audreanna Nishiguchi ‘12
Brandon Hull ‘14
Cameron Michel ‘14
Tiffany Tan '13
Taryn Tachino ‘15
Johanna K Stone ʻ06
Aly Thibault ‘11
Lisa Joy Andres ‘81
Marlon Booker ‘11
Payton Inabata ‘23
Todd Inabata ‘89
Maya Pueo von Geldern ‘93
Jenna Reformina ‘18
Nicholas Luna ‘12
Kealilia Meyer '10
Michael Wong ‘15
Shelbie Fujinaga ‘14
Hogan Williams ‘16
Kellie Wong ‘15
Amanda Lindsey '15
Isabelle Rhee ‘18
Emily Ratte ‘14
Hannah Mackey ‘14
Melissa Miura ‘15
Victoria Gacutan ‘20
Emily Okikawa ‘13
Savanna Rafto ‘12
Ryan Saunders '11
Purnima Manghnani ‘92
Dawn Barsana '94
Jenny Kessner Engle ‘94
Lily Engle ‘23
Kristen Tamagawa ‘17
Anthony T. Fujii '94
Spencer Lopes ‘18
Jess Sawai ‘18
Kylie Shaieb '18
Cara Cunningham ‘20
Sammie Kuriyama ‘18
Bradley Hoke ‘15
Anela Ramos ‘20
Elizabeth L Chaffin '02
Kylie Yamauchi ‘18
Jenna Smith ‘18
Taylor Campbell ‘13
Hannah (Jamias) Laudie '15
Paige Ma ‘17
Michael Luna ‘14
Quinci Salvador ‘12
Erin Rupert, '16
Cameron Michel ‘14
Quinn Wolfram ‘12
Ailee Yanagishita '14
Shayna Ching Kusumoto '93
Lauren Levy ‘17
Christine Fruean Pagan '88
Tiffany Sutherland Tether ‘94
Summer Jensen, ‘95
Madison Imoto ‘18
Brandy Hoogs Hill ‘96
Monica L. Keo ‘11
Helena Schaefer ‘14
Troy Taylor ‘11
Melanie Biehl Bennington ‘94
Addy Lee '18
Rick Manayan ‘13
Mackenzie Lau '11
Tyler Paikuli-Campbell, ‘90
Nikki Saito ‘19
Mieko Treaster ‘00
Ryan McCormack ‘00
Wendy Lagareta’64
Megan Hirsch ‘16
Jessica Kaakua ‘01
Jessamy Town Hornor '89
Cristyn Dang ‘15
Malinda Finnell ‘89
Marika Emi Yano Wilson, ‘06
Steven Falatea ‘15
Kristen Young ‘11
Harlow Thomas ‘21
Josh Levinson '94
Capri Backus '15
Rashelle Nagata '11
Quinne Murakawa ‘18
Kerry Sakimoto ‘11
Kasandra Lee '18
Grace Zweng ‘12
Alyssa Alvarez ‘22
Sarah Blichfeldt ‘20
Leona Motomochi ‘13
Christina Meyer '11
Tyler Sakamoto ‘20
Aerin Cheung ‘22
Kelsi Higashi ‘22
Beam Parker ‘18
Kelly Murashige, '16
Emma McDonald ‘22
Celia Valenzuela ‘21
Chelsea Hsieh ‘11
Jiani Kaniho ‘20
Kyle Bosworth '15
Natalie Turner ‘20
Kanoelani Kageyama ‘11
Michael Cleveland, parent '95
Pono Warner, child of alumni and former student
Emily Bender ‘20
Celina Lim ‘23
Marybeth Fentriss ‘80
Matt Tonokawa ‘11
Florence Yu '20
Kaelah Kimura ‘23
Jayci Tsuhako '18
Kristin Abe ‘23
Averi Salvador ‘17
Dillyn Lietzke ‘20
Emmalia McKenney ‘21
Amanda Laukea '93
Allison Ching ‘18
Camryn Hagihara ‘17
Nithya Chekuri ‘18
Kyra Lung ‘23
Milton Vuong '15
Mehana Muranaka ‘20
Cassidy Yoshida ‘18
Yoojin Seo ‘18
Jessica Eng ‘11
Imiloa Borland ‘20
Rev. Jasmine Bostock ʻ08
Sofia Himeno-Price ‘20
Erin Bullard '16
Enki Grimsley ‘20
Summer Umemoto ‘18
Isaiah Gundermann Graham ‘17
Katie Yamamoto ’12
Deborah Wen ‘17
Hannah Mackey ‘14
Jeanette Au ‘12
Dayanita McCutcheon ‘17
Gail Fukumoto ‘15
Janie Schaefer ‘15
Athena Zhao ‘15
Mariah Kim ‘12
Sophie Kim ‘15
Eyrica Sumida ‘15
Alli Suthard ‘20
Nanea Tannehill ‘96
Erin Azuma ‘18
Ryan Lum ‘20
Ragnar Carlson ‘88 and former faculty
Ethan Bosworth ‘19
Anna Praywell ‘20
Meryem Tamonte ‘20
Momo Arbeit '15
Lisa Kusaka ‘13
Taryn Ichimura ‘17
Kyle Uemura ‘18
Trystin Lopes ‘20
Laurel Mei-Singh
Alyssa Leong ‘19
Michael Hampton ‘16
Kristin Dung ‘07
Amanda Chau ‘15
Jaycee Ichimura ‘20
Kristin O'Brien '98
Lana Stojadinovic ‘20
Taylor Witter '15
Jasmine Lwin ‘15
Nicole Tamura ‘11
Emma Lalau ‘20
Erin Yabuki ‘11
Jessica Domingo ‘17
Sierra Smart ‘20
Blake LaBenz ʻ98
Jared Yamura ‘15
Natalie Leitner ‘18
Alana Blume ‘17
Kaalakaiopono Faurot ‘17
Sonia Romero ‘20
Caroline Feng '17
Maisie Klem ‘21
Taylor Date ‘14
Ke'ala Akau '18
Sarini Saksena ‘15
Lyn Nakashima '15
Haulani Fuller, daughter of alumni
Elizabeth Kamuela Fuller '71
Lillie Jones ‘20
Joelle Higa ‘17
Matthew Uiagalelei '88
Kamden Hilliard ‘12
Hannah Matsunaga '12
N. Kauʻi (Baumhofer) Merritt ʻ00
Hyatt Hasegawa Bailey '06
Taryn Fukuji ‘14
Cian Ying ‘18
Kainoa McCauley ‘14
Susan Tom-Nellis ‘85
Joshua See '15
Jenna Sumikawa ‘15
Kuki’i Falahee-Walker ‘15
Kyle Moy ‘15
Harrison Jeong '12
Caitlin Falls '15
Andrea Kim ‘11
Marguerite Cazin ‘17
Gabi Soderholm ‘14
Ikaika Ramones '12
Zack Uchima '18
Piueti Maka ‘13
Michael Tome '15
Angela Uyeda ‘21
Diza Hendrawan ‘20

and 78 other alumni and community members who prefer to remain anonymous

and 103 other supporters unaffiliated with Punahou School


(This list will be updated periodically as people share this form.)