The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that it has opened an investigation into whether New York education officials are engaging in discrimination by threatening to withhold funding from a Long Island school district that refuses to stop using a Native American-themed logo.
The investigation, launched by the department’s Office for Civil Rights, follows a complaint filed by the Native American Guardian’s Association, a nonprofit that supports the use of Native imagery in sports and broader culture. The group argues that the state’s pressure on the Massapequa School District violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race or national origin in programs receiving federal funds.
The probe comes days after former President Donald Trump entered the debate, criticizing efforts to remove the district’s “Chief” logo. Calling the move “ridiculous” and “an affront to our great Indian population,” Trump posted on Truth Social that he had asked his education secretary to defend the school’s right to keep its emblem.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon included Trump’s statement in her department’s Friday announcement and said federal officials will not allow New York to “rewrite history” or prevent Massapequa from honoring what it views as a part of its heritage. In her remarks, McMahon accused state authorities of trying to “erase Native Americans, their rich history, and their deep connection to the state,” and pointed to mascots like the Vikings, Fighting Irish, and Cowboys as examples of cultural references that have not faced similar scrutiny.
“We will investigate this matter fully,” McMahon said, emphasizing that the department takes the complaint seriously.
A spokesperson for the New York State Education Department, JP O’Hare, responded by saying the agency had not been formally notified of any federal investigation. He also pointed out the inconsistency between federal interference and the education secretary’s prior comments in March, when she emphasized returning control over education matters to the states.
O’Hare added that Massapequa had previously filed and lost a lawsuit challenging the state’s regulations on mascot usage. He noted that the state encouraged the school district to work with local Indigenous communities as part of the process.
New York’s Board of Regents adopted regulations in April 2023 mandating an end to Indigenous names and mascots in public schools. O’Hare explained that some Native-themed names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes that research has shown can harm students, particularly those from Indigenous backgrounds. “Disrespecting entire groups of people is wrong in any context,” he said, “but especially in our schools, where all students should feel welcome and supported.”
Frank Blackcloud, vice president of the Native American Guardian’s Association, stated that maintaining Native themes and imagery in schools is not just about cultural pride — it’s also a matter of civil rights for students.
Kerry Wachter, president of the Massapequa Board of Education, expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for backing the district’s position, saying the community wants to preserve the “Chiefs” name as part of its identity.
However, not all Indigenous voices support the district’s stance. Harry Wallace, chief of the Unkechaug Indian Nation, which resides on a reservation in Long Island, called it “ironic” that a town with a history of violence against Indigenous people would now claim pride in using imagery that he views as a distortion of that same culture.
