Until recent years, so little was known about the time of the Hawaiian monarchy, the overthrow, annexation and life within the territory. Now being more aware, it’s stunning how many “lies my teachers taught me.” At first the lies were intentional. After a generation or so, teachers were just teaching what they were taught and believed as true. But the lies still go on today, though the truth is known.

The American missionaries did so much good when they arrived. But later, a few of them and many of their children, along with other whites, stole the islands from the Hawaiian people. Recent research into the years before and after the overthrow has exposed how really ugly the Missionary Party members and the rich plantation owners were toward our native people.

They looked down upon even our kings and queen, treating them as low-level, uncultured aboriginals, whom destiny required white men to control. In 1887, they forced King Kalakaua to sign the Bayonet Constitution, stripping him of most of his authority. In 1893, with American support and landing of troops, they overthrew our queen.

After the overthrow, many white leaders in Hawaii enjoyed finding ways to insult Hawaiians and keep them in their place. In 1907, when Honolulu High School was moved to Beretania and Victoria streets, they renamed it in honor of President William McKinley, an affront to our people.

McKinley was known well at the time for having pushed the McKinley Tariff through Congress in 1890. In two years, it intentionally cut Hawaii’s sugar profits in half and goaded the already unhappy annexationists to overthrow the queen. If Hawaii could become part of the U.S., there would be no tariff.

In the next years, prior to Hawaii being illegally “annexed,” both Queen Lili‘uokalani’s letter of protest, and the Ku‘e Petitions, which objected to annexation and were signed by 95% of Native Hawaiian adults, had reached Congress. It was also clearly understood among those in Congress that the newly established government, the Republic of Hawaii, did not include Native Hawaiians, and did not represent the will of the people.

This did not deter William McKinley, who was now president.

To ratify a treaty of annexation, the U.S. Constitution requires a “yes” vote by two-thirds of those present in the U.S. Senate. After a failed attempt to get the two-thirds vote in 1893, and two more failed attempts in June and September of 1897, McKinley pushed for Joint Resolution 259 (the Newlands Resolution) and signed it into law on July 7, 1898. There never was a Treaty of Annexation.

In truth, a lawful annexation never occurred because a Joint Resolution of Congress is a domestic measure, having no lawful authority beyond U.S. borders. As Sen. Augustus Bacon pointed out during the 1898 debate, “If Hawaii could be acquired by a joint resolution, then the Legislature of Hawaii could acquire the United States by a joint resolution of its own.”

Within two months after the passage of the Newlands Resolution, the U.S. created a fort in the current Kapiolani Park. Its name: Fort McKinley.

Until 1931, President William McKinley High School was the only public high school on Oahu. Under the Department of Education’s 1906 “Patriotic Program for School Observance,” the school became a principal tool for eradicating Hawaiian culture, language and identity, and for indoctrination and thorough Americanization of our youth.

McKinley is a false hero. The school name and statue of him ignore his wrongdoings. Both must be removed.

A few years back, a young DOE high school teacher on the Big Island, Aoloa Patao, started a petition to change the name of President William McKinley High School and to take the statue down (see sign.moveon.org/petitions/restore-original-name); this essay supports his effort.

Finally, we intend no slight to the students and graduates of McKinley High School. Their experiences and accomplishments at the school will never be erased.

Kioni Dudley is a former teacher for Hawaii’s Department of Education; Lyla Berg is a former DOE principal; Williamson Chang is a professor at the University of Hawaii-Manoa law school. Co-signatories on this piece are Piilani Kaopuiki, a McKinley High alumna; Leon Siu, a diplomat/activist; and Aoloa Patao, a DOE teacher.