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The New York State Board of Regents voted on Tuesday, April 18 to ban the use of Native American names, mascots, or logos by public schools across the state of New York.
The ruling, which is an addition to the existing Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, will require school districts to make a commitment to the rule by the end of this school year.
The amendment states that “the use of Native American mascots” could create a hostile environment for students, thus putting it in violation of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). Schools that defy DASA may lose state aid and may see their officials fired for noncompliance.
As it stands, over ten schools on Long Island currently have logos and mascots related to Indigenous culture.
Some schools are voicing concerns about, and even threatening legal action against, the new rules.
The Massapequa Board of Education, whose mascot is “The Chief," released a statement on Tuesday, April 18 decrying the vote.
“We believe the Board of Regents is overextending its reach and removing our local control,” the statement reads, adding that “we are Massapequa and we will not sit idly by while an unelected group of officials tries to remove our history.”
Massapequa denied a request for further comment regarding its stance.
Schools may have an exception to the new rule if a tribal nation and the public school have an agreement in writing to utilize Indigenous imagery, according to the amendment.
Otherwise, by the end of the 2024-2025 school year, schools must phase out all imagery related to Indigenous culture from uniforms, buildings, fields, and logos.
Other Long Island schools affected include:
- Sachem High School East;
- Brentwood Union Free School District;
- Wyandanch Union Free School District;
- Comsewogue School District; and
- Wantagh Public Schools.
"We understand that our mascot must be changed," Comsewogue School District Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Quinn said in a statement sent to Daily Voice. Currently, the district's logo depicts the profile of a Native American man.
The amendment specifically prohibits the use of imagery that “depicts or refers to Indigenous persons, tribes, nations, individuals, customs, symbols, or traditions, including actual or stereotypical aspects of Indigenous cultures.”
Because of this, it’s likely that schools such as Half Hollow Hills High School East and Connetquot High School will also need to phase out the use of their mascot, the Thunderbird, a legendary creature featured in Indigenous cultures.
Dr. Quinn said that as for Comsewogue's use of the name "warriors," the district is waiting for further clarification from the Board of Regents on whether that must be changed as well.
"Based on that guidance," she wrote, "we will work with our legal counsel and our community to discuss what our next steps will be."
Boards of Education will have until the end of the 2022-2023 school year to commit to the new guidelines.
As of publication, several other Long Island schools have not responded to requests for comment.
This story will be updated as necessary.
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