Education & Careersbreaking news
State backs down on part of its 2023 Native American mascot ban
Court documents show New York is stepping back from a portion of the ban, after lawsuits, a federal finding and a student mural in Massapequa.
What the court documents show
The state is backing down from implementing a portion of its ban that it put in place in 2023, according to court documents. [1] The change matters to school districts such as Massapequa on Long Island, which sued over the ban. [2]
The state has said research has found Native American imagery could create a hostile environment for Indigenous students. [1]
The districts that sued
Some districts sued the state as early as 2023. [1] Massapequa's lawsuit said its mascot references the rich history of its Long Island community. [1]
Massapequa was one of several districts that sued the state over the ban. [2] The districts accused the state of a civil rights violation. [2]
Federal pressure in 2025
In 2025 the federal Department of Education launched an investigation into the New York Department of Education for alleged Title VI violations. [1] About a month later, the federal department found the state agency in violation of the civil rights law protecting students from race-based discrimination. [1]
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in an April 2025 statement that the department would not stand by as New York tried to rewrite history and deny Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools. [1]
Protest and a request to the president
In May 2025, Massapequa High School students painted a massive Chiefs mural at the school in defiance of the state ban. [2]
In July 2025 the Massapequa town asked President Trump to issue an executive order protecting Native American mascots and imagery nationwide. [2] Massapequa Board of Education President Kerry Wachter said the issue is a national one and that the district was asking the president to get involved. [2]
What this means for Massapequa and other districts
If you follow the mascot dispute in Massapequa or another district that sued, the court documents show the state is backing down from a portion of its 2023 ban. [1][2]
The state's stated reason for the ban is research on a hostile environment for Indigenous students, and the districts that sued accuse it of a civil rights violation. [1][2]
Sources
Written from the sources above and checked twice before publishing. How we work · Report an error
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