Education Department to probe New York for trying to pull school mascot of Native American [View all]

Source: Politico

04/25/2025 07:39 PM EDT
Updated: 04/25/2025 09:23 PM EDT


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.

JP O’Hare, a spokesperson for the state Education Department, told POLITICO the department has not received any communication from the federal government. He also said Massapequa already filed — and lost — a lawsuit on the matter. “The U.S. Department of Education’s attempt to interfere with a state law concerning school district mascots is inconsistent with Secretary McMahon’s March 20, 2025 statement that she is ‘sending education back to the states where it so rightly belongs,’” O’Hare said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/25/education-department-to-investigate-new-york-doe-over-mascot-controversy-00311512