June 10 2025.
On April 11 2025 the New York State Board of Regents voted unanimously to ban public school districts from using Native American Mascots,Team Names,and Imagery.
Despite much opposition to this policy from schools on Long Island the New York Department of Education will not back down and are threatening to withhold state funding to schools that refuse to comply.
On May 30 Education Week reported that the Trump Administration gave New York 10 Days to end its ban on Native American Mascots claiming it is a Civil Rights Violation following the U.S. Department of Education investigation into the New York Department of Education, Board of Regents for a reported violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a statement that said it assessed that New York’s threat to withhold funding if the Massapequa School District and believes this policy constitutes discrimination on the basis of race and national origin.
The Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, stating that the New York Department of Education and the New York Board of Regents is violating federal civil rights law by forcing the Massapequa School District to eliminate its ‘Chiefs’ mascot based on its association with Native American culture.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon stated "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. 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. It is not lost on the Department that there are several mascots that refer to indigenous or ethnic groups – the Vikings, Fighting Irish, the Cowboys – and yet New York has specifically singled out Native American heritage. We will investigate this matter fully.”
“The Native American Guardians Association stands firm in asserting that the preservation of Native themes and imagery in New York public schools is not only a matter of cultural dignity but a fundamental civil right for all students. We call on federal and state leaders to help us defend these dwindling expressions or our presence and contributions,” said Frank Blackcloud, Vice President of NAGA. “Maintaining a respectable presence in NY State schools is vital to educational equity, historical truth, and the civil rights of all American Indians.”
“We thank the Department of Education and the Trump Administration for standing with Massapequa in our effort to preserve the Chiefs name and honor our community’s proud history. We’re especially grateful to the Native American Guardians Association for its support and advocacy. 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 Watcher, President of the Massapequa Board of Education.
Because either side appears to be willing to work with the other to settle this matter, the courts will be ruling on this issue in the coming months. That ruling may have consequences for other states that have implemented similar policies or are considering passing similar policies.
Of course First Nations Citizens known to most as "Federal Recognized American Indian Tribal Members" views vary on this matter. But what they may all agree upon is the need to include more information about Tribal Nations Current Events in schools to help eliminate some of the misconceptions that Non-Tribal Member's Children have about our tribes in North America.
This story sponsored by Red Hawk.