Letter: Student Protest of ICE Criticized by DOE Educator

Kaneohe resident calls for teachers and administrators who allowed protest to be fired.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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A Kaneohe resident and Department of Education educator has written a letter criticizing Kalaheo High School students for protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The letter writer argues that the protest shows a lack of respect for authority and blames adults who may have encouraged the students. The letter writer states that the role of educators is to educate, not indoctrinate, and that teachers and administrators who allowed the protest should be fired.

Why it matters

This letter reflects ongoing debates around the role of schools in political and social issues, with some arguing that schools should remain neutral and others believing schools should empower students to engage in civic activism. The letter writer's strong stance against the student protest highlights the tensions between those who believe schools should focus solely on academics and those who see schools as sites for developing critical thinking and civic engagement.

The details

In the letter, the writer, who identifies as an educator for the state Department of Education, expresses outrage at hearing that many Kalaheo High School students protested against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The writer argues that the protest shows a lack of respect for authority among the younger generation and partially blames adults who may have encouraged the students to protest. The letter writer states that the role of educators is to educate, not indoctrinate, and that teachers should teach students how to think, not what to think. The writer calls for the teachers and administrators who allowed the protest to be fired.

  • The letter was published on February 18, 2026.

The players

Alan Kim

A Kaneohe resident and educator for the state Department of Education who wrote the letter criticizing the Kalaheo High School student protest against ICE.

Kalaheo High School

A high school in Hawaii where students protested against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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What they’re saying

“I am appalled to hear that many Kalaheo High School students protested against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It shows that the younger generation does not respect authority. I partly blame adults who may have encouraged the students to protest.”

— Alan Kim, Kaneohe resident and DOE educator (staradvertiser.com)

“The teachers and administrators who allowed this need to be fired.”

— Alan Kim, Kaneohe resident and DOE educator (staradvertiser.com)

The takeaway

This letter highlights the ongoing debate around the role of schools in addressing political and social issues, with some arguing that schools should remain neutral and others believing schools should empower students to engage in civic activism. The strong stance taken by the letter writer reflects the tensions between those who prioritize academic focus and those who see schools as sites for developing critical thinking and civic engagement.