(8-1-25) Massapequa, a Long Island school district, is asking for President Trump’s help in their fight to keep their team name and mascot — the Chiefs.
Why does the school district want help from the President?
The New York State Board of Regents voted to ban Native American-related mascots, team names and logos in public schools back in 2023 and issued a June 2025 deadline for the change to take place, districts that didn’t comply could with the ruling will lose their state aid.
Massapequa School District asks President Trump to help in mascot fight
Massapequa Board of Education President Kerry Wachter said –
“This is a national issue, and so what we’re saying is instead of having these little fights everywhere, we’re asking the president to get involved. It really goes to the heart of who we are, and they’re trying not only to erase Native Americans, but they’re also trying to erase our tradition.”
In a Truth Social post the President showed support to the district-
Trump weighs in on name of Massapequia mascot
NY high school’s ‘racist’ Native American mascot takes center stage
U.S. Department of Education Refers Massapequa Mascot Case to the U.S. Department of Justice
June 17, 2025
Today, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) announced that it is referring its investigation into the New York Department of Education (NYDE) and the New York State Board of Regents (the Board) for their unlawful attempt to ban mascots and logos that celebrate Native American history to the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement. This action comes as the NYDE and the Board rejected the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR)’s proposed Resolution Agreement that would bring both entities into compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) by rescinding its prohibition on Native American mascots and logos.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon
“Both the New York Department of Education and the Board of Regents violated federal antidiscrimination law and disrespected the people of Massapequa by implementing an absurd policy: prohibiting the use of Native American mascots while allowing mascots derived from European national origin. Both of these entities continue to disrespect the people of Massapequa by refusing to come into compliance with the Office for Civil Rights’ proposed agreement to rectify their violations of civil rights law. We will not allow New York state to silence the voices of Native Americans, and discriminatorily choose which history is acceptable to promote or erase.”
OCR issued a proposed Resolution Agreement to NYDE and the Board to voluntarily resolve their Title VI violations within 10 days or risk possible referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. The NYDE and the Board rejected the agreement in the first instance and again when OCR issued an impasse letter to them. The Resolution Agreement required these entities to rescind their prohibition on the use of Indigenous names and mascots and to issue a letter of apology to Indigenous tribes for attempting to erase Native American history.
Background:
On April 25, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened a Title VI investigation into NYDE and the Board amid allegations that the Board was violating federal antidiscrimination law by forcing the Massapequa School District to eliminate its ‘Chiefs’ mascot based on its association with Native American culture.
On May 30, Secretary McMahon visited Massapequa High School to announce that OCR had concluded its investigation and determined that the Board violated Title VI by prohibiting names, mascots, and logos based on Native American race and national origin while appearing to allow those derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the ‘Dutchmen’ and the ‘Huguenots.’
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) prohibits discrimination in federally funded education programs on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
A representative for the Shinnecock Indian Nation sent CBS News New York the following statement:
“Disrespecting entire groups of people is wrong in any context, but especially in our schools, where all students should feel welcome and supported.
“In April 2023, the Board of Regents adopted regulations to end the use of demeaning Indigenous names and mascots in New York’s public schools once and for all. They were compelled to act because certain Native American names and images have been shown to perpetuate negative stereotypes that are demonstrably harmful to children.
“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. Instead, Massapequa decided to pursue litigation challenging the State’s regulations. Unsurprisingly, these cases have been dismissed. State and federal courts have upheld the Department’s authority to prohibit these mascots. 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. Our regulations, in fact, specifically permit the continued use of Native American names and mascots if approved by local tribal leaders. As Germain Smith, former General Council Secretary of the Shinnecock Indian Nation eloquently stated in support of the Department’s position, ‘Speaking for myself as a tribal leader and as an Indigenous person, the message that is being sent by [the state regulations] is that we’re not a symbol, we’re not a mascot, we’re not history. We’re real people that are still here and still exist.'”
The New York State Department of Education released the following statement in response:
“No school district is above the law. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has twice rejected attempts by Massapequa and others to block enforcement of this regulation. The court made it clear: the State Education Department has a strong public interest in making sure every student learns in an environment free from discrimination and harassment. In fact, the court said the hardships ‘tipped decidedly’ in favor of NYSED. We remain committed to ending the use of harmful, outdated, and offensive depictions of Indigenous people. Our responsibility is to students and families; we won’t trade their dignity for convenience.”
The expense of changing mascots can be quite expensive, as much as $1 million to remove the Chiefs.
In recent news President Trump has also requested that the NFL’s Washington Commanders return to thei past mascot – the Redskins and that the MLB Cleveland Guardians revert back to the Indians.
Trump demands Washington Commanders reverse name change
President Donald Trump threatened the Washington Commanders, stating he will not facilitate a deal for their new stadium if the team does not change its name.
Trump calls for Cleveland Guardians to change name again in Truth Social post
In a post to his social media platform Sunday morning, President Donald Trump registered his disapproval with the Cleveland Guardians’ 2021 name change.
After beginning his 10:17 a.m. Truth Social post with a call for the “Washington ‘Whatever’s'” to “IMMEDIATELY” restore the NFL franchise’s former “Redskins” nickname, the president set his sights on what was once — and for some fans remains — a hot-button issue in Northeast Ohio.
“Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past,” Trump wrote. While Cleveland was one of the eight original charter members of MLB’s American League, which began play in 1901, the organization now known as the Guardians was not one of America’s six original teams. The term “Original Six” typically refers to the founding teams of the National Hockey League.
The president added, without evidence, that the United States’ “great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.”
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