New York to Partially Repeal Native American Mascot Ban Ahead of Court Battle
The Board of Regents plans to revoke a section of its 2023 mandate, a move seen as a victory for the Massapequa school district.
New York State is set to partially repeal its statewide ban on Native American imagery in school sports logos, days before a scheduled court confrontation with the Massapequa school district. The state's Board of Regents "intends to repeal" a segment of its 2023 directive that prohibited "school officers and employees" from using or promoting Indigenous names, logos, or mascots during school functions.
This decision is being hailed as a significant win for the Massapequa Union Free School District, which has been actively contesting the ban to retain its "Chiefs" mascot and logo. Massapequa's Board of Education President, Kerry Wachter, expressed pride in the development, stating, "After years of fighting to keep the Chiefs, we’re proud of this victory. We encourage the Board of Regents to take the next step and repeal the regulation in its entirety. Once a Chief, always a Chief."
The New York Post has reached out to the New York State Department of Education for comment.
Massapequa was among several districts that filed a lawsuit against New York, alleging a civil rights violation due to the ban's sole focus on Native American imagery while offering no restrictions on imagery related to other ethnicities. Schools that did not comply with the ban risked losing state funding, with Massapequa estimating rebranding costs close to $1 million.
Other districts, such as the Amityville Warriors on Long Island, reportedly found the litigation costs prohibitive and complied with the ban. Students at Massapequa have also shown defiance, with the senior class of 2027 creating merchandise that reads "2till 7he Chiefs!" amid the ongoing dispute.
Legal arguments in the case were anticipated to commence on November 4. However, Massapequa's attorney, Oliver Roberts, views the state's partial rollback as an indicator of future outcomes. "The State has realized that its attempts to erase Massapequa’s history and tradition are patently unconstitutional," Roberts stated.
Former President Donald Trump publicly supported Massapequa's cause in 2025, posting on Truth Social, "LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!" and subsequently posing with a Massapequa sweatshirt in the Oval Office. The Trump administration, through then-Education Secretary Linda McMahon, investigated the ban and referred civil rights-related findings to the Justice Department.
The Native American Guardians Association, an advocacy group, also filed a lawsuit against New York, with its lawyer calling the ban "the dumbest law of all time" and expressing willingness to pursue the case to the Supreme Court.
Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has also committed to preserving the Massapequa Chiefs' name and logo if elected. He recently made a public statement challenging Governor Kathy Hochul over the ban.
The Board of Regents is expected to formally announce the partial repeal of the ban at an upcoming meeting, with a final vote scheduled for February.