Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2270 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds and allocate state and district resource teacher positions to educate public school students about the history and the lessons of the World War II exclusion, removal, and detention of persons of Japanese ancestry.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Department of Education, Japanese American Citizens League, Kauai 442 Veterans Club, and three private individuals.

Your Committee finds that the detention of loyal American citizens of Japanese ancestry in camps during World War II was one of the most dishonorable episodes in American history. If it is true that, as the philosopher George Santayana said, "those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it," then it is imperative for our society to understand as much as possible about this wholesale violation of the civil rights of 120,315 American citizens.

Your Committee further finds that there has been much research and writing on the meaning of the internment and the issue of redress and reparations fifty years later. These materials can serve as the basis for a broader educational effort that promotes the Constitution, fundamental civil liberties, and civil rights, as well as foster discussion about the principles of justice and fairness and the courage required to speak out against government abuses.

Your Committee has amended the measure by;

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2270, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2270, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.