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An probe by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) into 2 New York authorities agencies has recovered that some violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act implicit a prohibition connected Native American-inspired mascots and logos – an contented thrust into the nationalist spotlight due to the fact that of 1 Long Island schoolhouse district.
The Department of Education released a property merchandise of its findings connected Friday, conscionable a period after first launching the probe into the New York Department of Education and the New York State Board of Regents.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon attends a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 22, 2025, successful Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
"The Trump Administration volition not basal idly by arsenic authorities leaders effort to destruct the past and civilization of Native American tribes," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who visited Massapequa High School connected Friday, said.
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"Rather than absorption connected learning outcomes, the New York Department of Education and Board of Regents has acceptable its sights connected erasing Massapequa’s past – portion turning a unsighted oculus to different districts’ mascots that are derived from oregon connected to different radical oregon taste groups. We volition basal with the radical of Massapequa until commonsense is restored and justness is served, and until New York comes into compliance with national law."
The probe was brought astir erstwhile the Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) filed a ailment successful April aft claiming that the authorities agencies forced Massapequa School District, location of the Chiefs, to discontinue its mascot.
"The Native American Guardians Association stands steadfast successful asserting that the preservation of Native themes and imagery successful New York nationalist schools is not lone a substance of taste dignity but a cardinal civilian close for each students. We telephone connected national and authorities leaders to assistance america support these dwindling expressions oregon our beingness and contributions," Vice President of NAGA Frank Blackcloud said successful a connection astatine the time.
A mural for the Massapequa Chiefs schoolhouse sports teams, where, according to media reports, the Trump medication has launched an probe into New York officials threatening to withhold authorities backing for the municipality of Massapequa for nonaccomplishment to comply with a authorities mandate removing Native American names from schoolhouse logos, is seen painted connected a gathering adjacent to the precocious schoolhouse successful Massapequa, New York, May 1, 2025. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)
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"Maintaining a respectable beingness successful NY State schools is captious to acquisition equity, humanities truth, and the civilian rights of each American Indians."
The Department of Education also recovered that portion Native American-inspired mascots, names and logos were not permitted nether the policy, others that "appear to person been derived from different radical oregon taste groups" were, making the argumentation "discriminatory."
The territory sued the authorities successful September, claiming its First Amendment rights were violated, but a national justice ruled against it. Rebranding, including changing the sanction and logo, would outgo astir $1 million, territory officials claimed.
President Donald Trump became alert of the contented past period and encouraged the Department of Education to look into the ban, which helium called "an affront to our large Indian population."
President Donald Trump speaks to the media alongside archetypal woman Melania Trump arsenic they depart the White House connected April 25, 2025, successful Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The 2022 mandate requires each nationalist schools to discontinue Native American mascots and logos oregon hazard the nonaccomplishment of national funding. Four schools connected Long Island person since filed lawsuits.
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The Department of Education announced Friday arsenic portion of its probe that projected solution to the violations includes rescinding the prohibition connected "Indigenous names, mascots, and logos," issuing a memorandum to nationalist schools informing them of the changes, and issuing apology letters to Indigenous tribes acknowledging that the actions of the 2 agencies "silenced the voices of Native Americans and attempted to erase Native American history."
The Department of Education said nonaccomplishment to comply with the solution program risks further enactment by the Department of Justice and the imaginable nonaccomplishment of national funding.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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