Education Department to probe New York for trying to pull school mascot of Native American
Source: Politico
04/25/2025 07:39 PM EDT
Updated: 04/25/2025 09:23 PM EDT
The Education Department launched an investigation Friday into the New York Department of Education for threatening to withhold money from a local school district because of its Native American mascot. The mascot, an illustration of man wearing a feathered headdress, has been used for decades.
“The U.S. Department of Education will not stand by as the state of New York attempts to rewrite history and deny the town of Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement on Friday. “While New York chooses to prioritize erasing Native Americans, their rich history, and their deep connection [to the] state, it is requiring schools to divert time and resources away from what really matters: educating our students.”
The school board president applauded McMahon for her efforts. “Attempts to erase Native American imagery do not advance learning—they distract from our core mission of providing a high-quality education grounded in respect, history, and community values,” said Kerry Wachter, president of the Massapequa Board of Education, in statement on Friday.
JP O’Hare, a spokesperson for the state Education Department, told POLITICO the department has not received any communication from the federal government. He also said Massapequa already filed — and lost — a lawsuit on the matter. “The U.S. Department of Education’s attempt to interfere with a state law concerning school district mascots is inconsistent with Secretary McMahon’s March 20, 2025 statement that she is ‘sending education back to the states where it so rightly belongs,’” O’Hare said in a statement.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/25/education-department-to-investigate-new-york-doe-over-mascot-controversy-00311512
From the OP excerpt -
They think we are as stupid and vile as they are. They don't care about the tribe but the existence of a "mascot' that basically mocks the tribe.
Articles about Native American code talkers removed from military websites
= new reply since forum marked as read
to seek approval to continue to use the team name and mascot, but thumbed their nose at the state's regulatory process.
The state Board of Regents banned the use of Native American mascots, names and logos in 2023. The ban affected 13 school districts on Long Island, including nine that have complied with taking steps to retire their mascots. Districts that did not comply risked losing state aid.
State Department of Education officials said regulations permit districts to keep mascots if they are approved by local tribal leaders, which was not done in Massapequa.
"Massapequa stayed silent during the regulatory process. They did not reach out to Indigenous leaders or engage with the Department’s Mascot Advisory Committee to determine whether its Native American team name and mascot would be permissible," state education spokesman JP O'Hare said in a statement. "It is ironic that the federal government now seeks to intervene on an issue that is squarely reserved to the States."
"If members of the Massapequa board of education are genuinely interested in honoring and respecting Long Island’s Native American past, they should talk to the Indigenous people who remain on Long Island," O'Hare said.
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/massapequa-mascot-president-trump-b2gt4fzc
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Chances are that had Massapequa SD sought the approval from local tribal leaders, it would have been granted. The town's name is an Algonquin word and the name of the team (Chiefs) and the mascot itself are not overtly objectionable.
is the Native American Guardians Association, who goes after anyone attempting to rid themselves of some of the stereotypical depictions of the First Peoples, most recently and notably, Washington's football team renamed from the "Redskins" to the "Commanders", where they continue to fight to return the name "redskins" for the team name. 
December 4, 2023
UPDATE: In January 2024, the case against the National Congress of American Indians was dismissed with prejudice, and the case against NCAI has been concluded.
On December 1, 2023, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), represented by the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), filed a motion to dismiss a case brought against it in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. The case, which was brought by the Virginia-incorporated Native American Guardian’s Association (NAGA), alleges that NCAI somehow conspired with the Washington, DC, National Football League team when they changed their name to the Washington Commanders. However, the only act that plaintiffs allege is that NCAI issued a press release supporting the Commanders’ decision to keep their new name.
NCAI President Mark Macarro responded to the NAGA complaint explaining, “Since 1968, the National Congress of American Indians and its Tribal Nation members have taken the position that the Washington NFL team should change its dehumanizing and derogatory name. Issuing a press release applauding the team’s decision to drop a derogatory name is far from unlawful. All the complaint shows is that NCAI exercised its right to free speech on an important issue that affects Native Americans across the country.”
Race-based mascots, logos, and symbols became popular during a time in our country when racism and cultural oppression were the norm. Not only are they offensive and perpetuate negative stereotypes of Native people, they cause real, documented harm to the mental health of Native youth. The American Psychological Association found that derogatory representations like Native-based mascots create hostile learning environments for Native students. Studies show that the continued use of American Indian mascots teaches young people that stereotyping minority groups is an acceptable practice, further legitimizing discrimination against Native Americans.
NARF Deputy Director Matthew Campbell, who has worked in forums across the country to change harmful mascots, said, “NCAI has advocated for the elimination of harmful mascots for decades. As an organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for Native people and communities, this sort of advocacy only makes sense. The Native American Guardian’s Association may have a different opinion on this issue, but differing viewpoints are not enough to form a conspiracy lawsuit. This suit is legally unsound and disappointing to see in a time when these mascots and images have been found to harm our youth.”
Learn more about NARF’s long history of working to remove race-based mascots.
In any of the local cases where the depictions were purportedly a reference to the locally-dwelling tribe members, it would make sense to "ask". But just like you had this as a nickel -
now minted in gold -
And then the variety of Sacagawea $1 coins -
(obverse)
there needs to be some kind of consultation. Otherwise you have the problem of being accused of "cultural appropriation" and of course the issue of some depictions being rife with stereotypes.
Unfortunately the culture war crap plays really well here.
When Peter King retired, we had some real hope of flipping that seat, but the covid culture war (masks, vaccines, NYS's detailed and responsible rules for school reopening) really hurt us.
Garbarino voted for the Medicaid cuts and has failed on his promise to help overturn the SALT cap, so we'll have another shot in 2026. He's at a point where he's holding telephone (as opposed to in person) town halls.
Jamie Raskin (!) is holding a live town hall in NY-02 on May 3, so we're laying the groundwork.
