The Education Department launched an investigation Friday into the New York Department of Education for threatening to withhold money from a local school district because of its Native American mascot.
The mascot, an illustration of man wearing a feathered headdress, has been used for decades.
“The U.S. Department of Education will not stand by as the state of New York attempts to rewrite history and deny the town of Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement on Friday. “While New York chooses to prioritize erasing Native Americans, their rich history, and their deep connection [to the] state, it is requiring schools to divert time and resources away from what really matters: educating our students.”
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.
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.