https://www.scmp.com/rss/523485/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) legal action against Hong Kong International School (HKIS). In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com William Yiu William Yiu A US church that co-founded a prestigious Hong Kong international school has said it will take the lead in searching for a new head as the operator had failed to nominate candidates since 2022, accusing it of creating the “risk of leadership interruption” in the latest salvo in a war of words. The move by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) was revealed in a letter to parents on Sunday from Hong Kong International School (HKIS) management, which called the search part of church actions... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3348702/us-church-launches-search-new-hkis-school-head-amid-legal-row-operator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3348702/us-church-launches-search-new-hkis-school-head-amid-legal-row-operator?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:10:49 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A war of words rekindled on Thursday after a church in the United States accused the Hong Kong International School (HKIS) of misleading students and parents about the value of some of its properties, an allegation the institution has brushed aside and called part of a “smear campaign”. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) said that the Hong Kong International School Association Limited (HKISAL), the institution’s operator, held properties not subject to restrictive lease terms that were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3329296/lcms-hkis-enter-new-war-words-over-value-schools-properties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3329296/lcms-hkis-enter-new-war-words-over-value-schools-properties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:41:14 +0000 William Yiu,Leopold Chen William Yiu,Leopold Chen The operator of a top international school in Hong Kong has revealed it plans to negotiate soon with the institution’s US co-founder to seek an out-of-court settlement in response to a lawsuit over allegations it breached an operating agreement by serving only the rich. The senior management of Hong Kong International School (HKIS) told the Post about the plan on Tuesday after speaking with more than 700 parents at two town hall meetings at its Repulse Bay and Tai Tam campuses. During the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325771/hkis-operator-seek-out-court-settlement-talks-us-church-over-lawsuit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325771/hkis-operator-seek-out-court-settlement-talks-us-church-over-lawsuit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:18:51 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s leader has called on a top international school and its US-based founding organisation, currently embroiled in a legal dispute, to prioritise quality education and protect the interests of students. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday also urged the operator of the Hong Kong International School (HKIS) to update parents and students of the latest developments regularly. Last week, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), which helped found HKIS, dropped a bombshell by suing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325679/students-rights-come-first-hong-kongs-john-lee-hkis-lcms-legal-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325679/students-rights-come-first-hong-kongs-john-lee-hkis-lcms-legal-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:22:23 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Parents and teachers at a top Hong Kong international school have expressed “unwavering” support for its operator, who is being sued by a US-based church that co-founded the institution for allegedly only serving the “rich”. The Parent Faculty Organisation of Hong Kong International School (HKIS) also said on Sunday night that it was confident in the operator’s ability to ensure that students remained unaffected by the legal dispute. “[We affirm] our unwavering support for our school and its... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325537/parents-teachers-voice-unwavering-support-hkis-amid-legal-dispute-us-church?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325537/parents-teachers-voice-unwavering-support-hkis-amid-legal-dispute-us-church?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 03:40:17 +0000 Jiang Chuqin,Lam Ka-sing Jiang Chuqin,Lam Ka-sing A US-based church suing a top Hong Kong school is “not looking to sell or redevelop” seven local properties it owns with an estimated value of nearly HK$1 billion (US$127 million), insisting it intends to make a “significant investment” in the city through a new institution. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) told the Post on Saturday that it was in a “comfortable financial position”, despite expressing concerns last month about a “significantly deepening deficit” based on multi-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325444/us-church-fight-hkis-not-looking-sell-hk1-billion-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325444/us-church-fight-hkis-not-looking-sell-hk1-billion-property?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 12:38:29 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu A US-based church suing Hong Kong International School (HKIS) for allegedly breaching an operating agreement sold three properties in the city for a combined US$22 million in 2019 to pay debts, according to its official media platform. The move prompted Hong Kong’s Lutheran church to suspend its partnership with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) that year, with the local group saying at the time that the sale had gone against donors’ wishes and it reserved the right to take legal... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325383/us-church-suing-hkis-sold-three-hong-kong-properties-2019-pay-debts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325383/us-church-suing-hkis-sold-three-hong-kong-properties-2019-pay-debts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:25:35 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong education authorities will not process “at this stage” an application by a US-based church to set up a new international school to replace a top institution being sued for allegedly only serving the “rich”, due to the ongoing legal proceedings. The Education Bureau on Friday told the Post that it had already received the application from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) to establish a new school. The church has threatened to evict Hong Kong International School (HKIS), which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325350/churchs-bid-replace-hkis-new-school-put-hold-education-bureau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325350/churchs-bid-replace-hkis-new-school-put-hold-education-bureau?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:47:05 +0000 William Yiu,Leopold Chen William Yiu,Leopold Chen The operators of a top Hong Kong school have hit back at a US-based church that is suing them for alleged breach of contract for “serving only the rich”, expressing confidence that they will win the lawsuit while defending their institution as serving the international business community, not the wider public. They also said their relationship with the head of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), which co-founded Hong Kong International School (HKIS), had been cordial until 2022, when the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325248/we-will-win-hong-kong-international-school-hits-back-us-church-suing-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325248/we-will-win-hong-kong-international-school-hits-back-us-church-suing-it?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:43:54 +0000 William Yiu,Leopold Chen William Yiu,Leopold Chen A US-based church is suing the management of a top Hong Kong school it co-founded in 1966 for allegedly breaching an operational agreement, accusing the institution of serving only the “rich and privileged few” and amassing excessive financial reserves. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), which is the registered owner of the Hong Kong International School’s (HKIS) campus in Repulse Bay, told the institution to rectify its numerous breaches or face eviction from the property and its other... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325098/us-church-sues-top-hong-kong-school-only-serving-rich-threatens-eviction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3325098/us-church-sues-top-hong-kong-school-only-serving-rich-threatens-eviction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 23:00:16 +0000