{"id":2457527,"date":"2025-07-09T15:19:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T19:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-school-district-probed-over-push-to-erase-native-american-imagery-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T15:19:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T19:19:26","slug":"ny-school-district-probed-over-push-to-erase-native-american-imagery-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ny-school-district-probed-over-push-to-erase-native-american-imagery-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"NY school district probed over push to \u2018erase\u2019 Native American imagery &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fny-school-district-probed-over-push-to-erase-native-american-imagery-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2457527&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Department of Education is investigating the Connetquot Central School District in new York for attempting to remove its Native American mascot and imagery, known as the Thunderbirds, in compliance with a state regulation. The department&#8217;s Office for civil Rights is examining whether this action violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, following a complaint by the native American Guardians Association. Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized that prohibiting Native american mascots while allowing other cultural imagery is both illegal and unjust. While some Native American groups oppose such mascots as offensive, McMahon noted that many Native Americans feel pride in mascots like the Thunderbirds, viewing them as symbols of strength and identity. The investigation follows earlier findings that New York state education agencies violated federal civil rights laws by banning Native American mascots, which also led to legal challenges from school districts. The New York State Education Department criticized the federal probe, maintaining that mascots should be respectful and not rooted in outdated traditions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">NY school district probed over push to &lsquo;erase&rsquo; Native American imagery<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2170209\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &mdash; The U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Department of Education<\/a> is investigating a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-york\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">New York<\/a> school district it claims is trying to &ldquo;erase&rdquo; its Native American mascot and imagery to comply with a state rule that violates federal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/civil-rights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">civil rights<\/a> laws.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The department said its Office for Civil Rights is probing whether the&nbsp;Connetquot Central School District is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act&nbsp;for trying to do away with its Native American mascot and imagery, the Thunderbirds. The investigation stems from a complaint originally filed by the Native American Guardians Association, the federal agency said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3466870\/homan-says-good-luck-as-johnson-vows-chicago-wont-work-with-ice\/\">Homan says &lsquo;good luck&rsquo; as Johnson vows Chicago won&rsquo;t work with ICE<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3466784\/kimberly-guilfoyle-trump-hearing-greece-ambassador\/\">Kimberly Guilfoyle&nbsp;escapes Trump family drama at hearing to be Greece ambassador<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/3466775\/trump-campaign-promises-kept-cygnal-poll\/\">Trump seen as a rare promise keeper, especially with new voters<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Education Secretary Linda McMahon said despite the department&rsquo;s recent finding that a New York policy prohibiting Native American mascots violates federal antidiscrimination laws, the Long Island school district &ldquo;reversed course&rdquo; and is &ldquo;actively taking steps to erase its Native American mascot and imagery&rdquo; to comply with the state regulation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Department of Education has been clear with the state of New York: it is neither legal nor right to prohibit Native American mascots and logos while celebrating European and other cultural imagery in schools. New York&rsquo;s patronizing attitude toward Native Americans must end,&rdquo; she said in a statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While many national Native American groups&nbsp;protest the use of mascot names and images such as &ldquo;Redskins&rdquo; and &ldquo;Sachems&rdquo; as derogatory, McMahon said during a recent visit to New York, she found that &ldquo;many individuals in the Native American community expressed deep pride in their heritage and local mascots.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Images like the Thunderbirds and Chiefs are seen as symbols of strength, honor, and identity &ndash; not of disrespect,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&ldquo;We will continue to support the Native American community and ensure their heritage is equally protected under the law.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The move comes as the Justice Department considers prosecuting two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-gov-abbott-pushes-back-against-bidens-climate-agenda\/\" title=\"Texas Gov. Abbott pushes back against Biden\u2019s climate agenda\">state agencies<\/a> in New York over accusations that they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alexander-vindman-who-kicked-off-trumps-first-impeachment-sues-trump-for-intimidation\/\" title=\"Alexander Vindman, Who Kicked Off Trump\u2019s First Impeachment, Sues Trump For \u2018Intimidation\u2019\">violated federal civil rights law<\/a> by banning Native American-inspired mascots and logos.<\/p>\n<p>DOE said an investigation launched in April determined the New York Department of Education and the New York State Board of Regents violated the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after state agencies forced Massapequa School District, home of the Chiefs, to retire its mascot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The New York State Education Department has called the DOE&rsquo;s probe a &ldquo;farce&rdquo; and said school mascots and imagery in the state &ldquo;should reflect respect, not indolent symbolism masquerading as tradition.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3466290\/zohran-mamdani-christopher-columbus-statue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">MAMDANI&rsquo;S X POST ABOUT COLUMBUS STATUE IGNITES ITALIAN AMERICAN BACKLASH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Two years ago, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to prohibit the use of Indigenous team names, mascots and logos by New York public schools.&nbsp;Under the regulations, names or imagery can be used if the school district gets formal consent from New York&rsquo;s indigenous nations or tribes. Schools deemed in violation could <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >face state funding cuts<\/a>, according to education officials.<\/p>\n<p>Four Long Island school districts, including Massapequa, challenged the regulations in U.S. District Court. In March a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-rejects-bid-to-hold-fireworks-at-mount-rushmore\/\" title=\"Judge Rejects Bid To Hold Fireworks At Mount Rushmore\">federal judge rejected<\/a> the complaint.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecentersquare.com%2Fnew_york%2Farticle_f4411d4f-a78c-4444-90c5-dc0724f36db5.html%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_campaign%3Duser-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2170209\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2170209\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NY school district investigated for removing Native American mascot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2457528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Education-classroom-bbuu881w3-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[58753,58752,58754],"class_list":["post-2457527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-native-american-imagery","tag-ny-school-district","tag-school-district-investigation"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Education-classroom-bbuu881w3-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2457527"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2457531,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457527\/revisions\/2457531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2457528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2457527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2457527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2457527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}