Civil Beat Staff

Suevon Lee

Suevon Lee joined Honolulu Civil Beat as a reporter in June 2017.

She was previously based in Los Angeles, where she wrote for legal news wire Law360. She also served as editor-in-chief of former print culture magazine, KoreAm Journal.

She has also worked in New York, where she was a reporting intern for ProPublica and editor/reporter for an affiliate publication of the New York Law Journal. She has also spent time in Florida, covering courts for the Ocala Star-Banner.

Originally from the D.C. suburbs, Suevon graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in English. She holds a masters from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a master of studies in law from Yale Law School.

Read more
Hawaii’s Interim School Chief Wants The Job Permanently. Is He Up To It? Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Hawaii’s Interim School Chief Wants The Job Permanently. Is He Up To It?

By /
Keith Hayashi has been running the statewide school system for nearly a year, dealing with a pandemic, staffing shortages and other problems.
Gov. Ige Makes New Board of Ed Appointments Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

Gov. Ige Makes New Board of Ed Appointments

By /
Departing the board after June 30 will be chairwoman Catherine Payne and Ken Uemura.
Hawaii Kids Could Lose Access To Free Meals At School With End Of Federal Funding Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Hawaii Kids Could Lose Access To Free Meals At School With End Of Federal Funding

By /
Public school students have been eligible for free breakfast and lunch during the pandemic through a program that is set to expire in June.
Bill To Boost Veteran Educator Pay Gets Pushback From Labor Unions Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Bill To Boost Veteran Educator Pay Gets Pushback From Labor Unions

By /
The resistance makes the road to passage more difficult for Senate Bill 2819, which proposes a one-time salary adjustment for veteran teachers whose pay does not reflect their years of experience.
‘I Lost 3 Years Of My Passion’: Popular Deaf School Principal Gets His Job Back John Hill/Civil Beat/2017

‘I Lost 3 Years Of My Passion’: Popular Deaf School Principal Gets His Job Back

By /
A veteran deaf educator — hired to lead the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind in 2016 — was demoted by the area superintendent in 2019 without proper cause.
Here’s How Hawaii Is Trying To Improve Child Care Access Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Here’s How Hawaii Is Trying To Improve Child Care Access

By /
Lawmakers are considering programs to boost the pay of child care workers and offer stipends to early childhood educators.
Board of Education Will Start Accepting Applications for School Superintendent Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Board of Education Will Start Accepting Applications for School Superintendent

By /
The appointed board approved a revised job description on Thursday after lengthy debate over whether to require a master's degree for eligibility.
Bill Calls For Direct Aid To Families For Learning Expenses Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Bill Calls For Direct Aid To Families For Learning Expenses

By /
Many families could use financial assistance to help defray the cost of extra educational support during the pandemic, according to a local nonprofit.
Sen. Hirono Selects Hawaii Teacher As Virtual Guest for Biden’s State of the Union Courtesy: Hawaii DOE

Sen. Hirono Selects Hawaii Teacher As Virtual Guest for Biden’s State of the Union

By /
Hirono praised her virtual guest, Waiakea High teacher Whitney Aragaki, for her achievements and contributions to Hawaii's education community.