Arnold Laanui, the former president of Damien Memorial School, has filed a lawsuit against his past employer, alleging retaliation for his attempts to address what he characterizes as a culture of corruption within the school's athletic program. Laanui, who served as president and CEO starting in 2022, claims his firing was a direct consequence of his interventions against illegal scholarships and his reporting of a group sex incident involving students.
As reported by Island News, Laanui alleges that football coaches were aware of a sleepover incident on campus in October 2022 involving team members and a female equipment manager. Despite the rules and prior scandals necessitating stringent safe environment guidelines, Laanui asserts that these boundaries were violated. The former president, with a background in both education and law enforcement, believes his skill set was necessary to correct the financial and ethical missteps he unearthed, a narrative corroborated according to Hawaii News Now, by alarming audit discoveries of poor fiscal controls.
The lawsuit goes on to detail the actions of the head football coach, Anthony Tuitele, who Laanui claims attempted to hide the incident, despite being made aware by the school's athletic director. In discussions with the coaches, it became evident that they though having been found out, a pathway to reinstatement for the expelled students was laid out.
Moreover, Laanui accuses some members of the Damien Alumni Association of providing illegal cash scholarships in violation of ILH rules. Frustrations mounted as Laanui faced opposition from families, alumni, and even Damien's board members themselves when addressing these issues. "One of the board members, straight out, said that the board is the one who hires and fires me. And if I was not willing to kind of go along, yeah, they’d be repercussions for that," Laanui told Hawaii News Now.
The controversy reached a head when Laanui accused coaches of fraudulent activities, including faking a banquet invoice to conceal unauthorized bonuses. Despite an initial agreement on the coaches' termination, a reversal took place following protests from football supporters, culminating in Laanui's own dismissal in February. Reflecting on the manner of his exit from Damien, "The way I was led out was as if I was a criminal myself," he lamented in a statement obtained by Hawaii News Now.
Damien Memorial School has responded to the allegations by stating that they take them seriously and that the students' safety and education remain a top priority. They have indicated their intention to address these claims through the legal process. Laanui's attorney, Leighton Hara, emphasizes that while the lawsuit seeks monetary damages, its broader goal is to enforce changes within the school to ensure a safe and rule-adherent environment for its students. His contract was not set to expire until June 30, 2025.
