Trump administration tells school to restore Native American mascot

Federal officials are pressuring the Long Island school district to re-adopt the Native American-inspired team name the school had previously changed to comply with a state ban.

The U.S. Department of Education said Thursday that Connetquot Central School District violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by changing its mascot from “Thunderbirds” to “T-Birds,” according to the department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

The New York State Department of Education and Board of Regents have imposed a ban on Native American names, mascots and logos in public schools in 2023. Schools that refuse to change their team’s name by the end of the 2024-25 school year have been told they could face penalties, including withholding state aid.

Connetquot Central School District, like many other schools in the state, agreed to change its team name last year to comply with state regulations.

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US Department of Education in question He offered the region a settlement agreement to resolve the issue and reinstate the name.

“We will not allow ideologues to decide that some mascots based on national origin are acceptable and others are prohibited. Equal treatment under the law is non-negotiable,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in a statement. he said.

Richey said the office offered the district a settlement agreement that would require it to reinstate the “Thunderbirds” team name.

“We expect the district to do the right thing and abide by our settlement agreement to voluntarily resolve civil rights violations and reclaim the Thunderbirds’ true name. The Trump Administration will not shy away from ensuring every community is treated equally under the law,” he said.

An American flag and a U.S. Department of Education flag fly in front of the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C., on February 1. (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)

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A spokesperson for the Connetquot Central School District told Fox News Digital that it is reviewing the report.

A Department of Education investigation last year found that New York state’s ban on Native American mascots and logos violated federal civil rights law.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon threatened to withdraw federal funds from the state if it did not lift the ban on these symbols.

“The Trump Administration will not stand idly by when state leaders seek to eradicate the history and culture of Native American tribes,” McMahon said in a statement in May.

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The investigation stemmed from a complaint filed in April by the Native American Guard Association (NAGA) alleging that state agencies forced the Massapequa School District, home of the Chiefs, to retire its mascot.

The advocacy group argued that the 2023 ban was discriminatory and violated the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal treatment under the law.

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He is preparing to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court after a lower court dismissed it last November.

“‘Native Name Ban’ laws are both offensive and patently unconstitutional,” NAGA attorney Chap Petersen said in a statement. he said. “Their existence is an embarrassment to the Native community as well as to all Americans.”

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and Bonny Chu contributed to this report.