Massapequa Chiefs: Linda McMahon visits high school over mascot battle

LONG ISLAND - U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced she is prepared to go to the U.S. Department of Justice over Massapequa High School's mascot, the Chiefs. Though some consider the mascot "hurtful" to Indigenous individuals, President Donald Trump and McMahon call the push to change the mascot "ridiculous."

McMahon has been tasked with "heading the fight for the people of Massapequa."  

‘Once a Chief, always a Chief’

What we know:

Secretary McMahon shared the findings of an investigation regarding the high school's decades-old mascot, a Native American man wearing a feathered headdress, earlier today, May 30.

McMahon said she is planning on calling on New York state to sign a resolution to allow the Chiefs and other mascots to stay. If they refuse, McMahon said she is prepared to bring the issue to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A member of the Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) flew in from North Dakota to speak in support of McMahon.

Two groups formed outside the school, FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg reports: one in support of the mascot, one protesting against it.

The New York State Education Department's Director of Communications, JP O'Hare, provided this statement to FOX 5: "It's troubling that a U.S. Secretary of Education would take time out of her schedule to disrupt student learning in the name of political theatre."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul referred to McMahon's visit as a "WWE-style distraction."

Indigenous voices on the issue

The other side:

Local tribal leaders, however, question NAGA's credibility, saying the nonprofit has no affiliation with New York tribes.

Germain Smith of the Shinnecock Nation told FOX 5, "If the U.S. Department of Education is truly concerned with the well-being and mental health of children, then they will see that this is hurtful to millions of Native children in the United States."

Chief Harry Wallace of the Unkechaug Nation added, "None of the local populations have consented." They also called the school's mascot "disrespectful and demeaning."

Local tribes say their stance is firm and their beliefs aren't going to change with threats.

When the battle started

The backstory:

A little over two years ago, the New York State Board of Regents unanimously voted to prohibit the use of Indigenous team names, mascots and logos by New York public schools.

Names or imagery could only continue to be used if the district obtained consent from the appropriate Indigenous nation or tribe.

The deadline to comply with the regulation is June 30, 2025. Schools that refuse to comply could be faced with funding cuts or the removal of school board members.

Four Long Island school districts, including Massapequa, challenged the regulation in court, but the case was dismissed by a federal judge in March of this year.

Trump weighs in

President Trump posted on Truth Social about the issue on April 21, expressing support for Massapequa High School and calling the idea of changing the school’s mascot "ridiculous." Trump also called on McMahon to "fight for the people of Massapequa."

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman posted his gratitude for the president's words.

Civil rights probe

A few days later, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation over claims New York's Board of Education violated federal civil rights law by enforcing the regulation. 

The Title VI probe was instigated by a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights by NAGA, a nonprofit that supports "the respectful use of Native American names and imagery in sports, education, and public life," according to the nonprofit's website.

"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," McMahon stated.

Long Island