HONOLULU -- Supporters of Kamehameha Schools showed up at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Thursday to urge OHA trustees to keep working hard to get the Native Hawaiian Recognition Act passed.

The Hawaiian community has been in an uproar ever since a federal appeals panel ruled 2-to-1 Tuesday to overturn Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy for being "unlawfully race-based."

Supporters said passage of the so-called Akaka Bill is critical to help Kamehameha Schools retain its admissions preference for Hawaiians.

"We believed the Akaka Bill is the only mechanism which can establish for us a political relationship," said Rod Ferreira, of Imua Group.

"I come here to encourage you to continue your effort to see that the Akaka Bill becomes a reality," Native Hawaiian rights activist Charles Rose said.

There were a few people who spoke against the Akaka Bill.

"The bill itself in the form that it is in, is not only unconstitutional, but it is not good for our people," said Umialiloa Sexton, of Hawaiian Coalition.

OHA wants the Akaka bill passed to help Hawaiians in general and to protect itself from a pending lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks to abolish OHA and the Hawaiian Homelands Department.