The U.S. Department of Education is scrutinizing a New York school district that refuses to retire its Native American chief mascot, warning that the state could face a Justice Department investigation or lose federal funding. This announcement came from Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island.
McMahon stated that her agency found the New York State education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by imposing a statewide ban on Native American mascots and logos. The ban is deemed discriminatory because mascots and names linked to other ethnic groups, like the “Dutchmen” and “Huguenots,” remain permitted.
Speaking before students and local officials, McMahon praised Massapequa’s chief mascot as a powerful symbol of Native American leadership. She emphasized that the administration would not allow efforts to erase Native American history and culture to go unchallenged.
The Department of Education has given New York ten days to agree to withdraw the ban and issue an apology to Native American communities for discrimination and cultural erasure.
However, New York’s education department dismissed McMahon’s visit as political grandstanding. A spokesperson argued that the district was neglecting its duty by refusing to engage with local Native tribes, which have expressed that certain Native American names and imagery perpetuate harmful stereotypes and negatively impact children.
At the event, the Native American Guardians Association voiced support for keeping the chief mascot. Yet, some local Indigenous voices, including Adam Drexler, a member of the Chickasaw Nation and Massapequa resident, criticized the group as lacking legitimate tribal authority and being “Native Americans for hire.”
Meanwhile, the National Congress of American Indians reaffirmed its opposition to the use of unsanctioned Native American imagery, labeling such depictions as rooted in racism, cultural appropriation, and ignorance.
The controversy over Massapequa’s mascot intensified after former President Donald Trump directed the education department to investigate the matter last month. The dispute highlights the ongoing debate over Indigenous imagery in American sports and public institutions.
Massapequa, located roughly 40 miles east of Manhattan, has resisted a 2023 New York state mandate requiring schools to retire Native American names and mascots. Although the law allows exemptions if districts obtain approval from local Native tribes, Massapequa did not seek such permission. The district’s legal challenge against the ban was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year.
State officials have warned schools that failure to comply by the end of the school year could result in losing federal education funding.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, an ally of Trump who accompanied McMahon on her visit, supported keeping the mascot. He argued that the figure honors Native American heritage rather than disrespecting it, reflecting the views of many local residents.
The town of Massapequa is named after the Massapequa people, part of the Lenape (Delaware) tribes that inhabited the Northeast woodlands before European colonization. However, some Native American activists have criticized the mascot for depicting a man wearing a headdress typical of Midwest tribes, not those from the Northeast. They also note that the cheerful mascot masks a violent history, including a Native American massacre that took place in the area during the 1600s.
Massapequa remains a predominantly white community, roughly 90%, and has long been a conservative stronghold favored by New York City police and firefighters. Trump has made several visits to the town, including attending a police officer’s wake last year, as the area has become increasingly Republican.