Education Secretary Linda McMahon stands behind President Donald Trump as he answers questions from reporters after he signed executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on April 23, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Trump signed seven executive orders on education policy, artificial intelligence, and school disciplinary policies. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa USA)
Education Department to probe New York for trying to pull school mascot of Native American – Politico
2025-04-26T01:23:55Z
The mascot, an illustration of man wearing a feathered headdress, has been used for decades.
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.
Key Context: More than two years ago, the state’s Education Department required school districts to eliminate mascots that appear to appropriate Native American culture or risk losing state funding.
The school board for Massapequa, a town that’s about an hour from New York city, has pushed against the measure and asked for the Trump administration to step in, the New York Post reported earlier this month.
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Monday to express his sympathy to the board.
“I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School,” Trump wrote. “Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population.”
In that same post, he asked McMahon to step in and “fight for the people of Massapequa on this very important issue.”
The Native American Guardians Association filed a complaint with the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging that the state Education Department and the New York Board of Regents is violating federal civil rights law. They claim the state can’t force the Massapequa School District to eliminate the mascot based on its association with Native American culture, according to the U.S. Education Department.
NAGA has a history of trying to preserve sports mascots and names many people and communities find offensive, including the Washington Commanders football team, whose previous name the group has wanted restored.
Madina Touré contributed to this report.
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