McMahon Threatens New York Over School’s Mascot

April 26, 2025 Education, Trump Administration

Via press release from the White House:

Today, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into the New York Department of Education, Board of Regents for a reported violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will assess whether New York’s threat to withhold funding if the Massapequa School District does not eliminate its Native American mascot constitutes discrimination on the basis of race and national origin.

The Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, stating that the New York Department of Education and the New York Board of Regents is violating federal civil rights law by forcing the Massapequa School District to eliminate its ‘Chiefs’ mascot based on its association with Native American culture.

“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,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

“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. It is not lost on the Department that there are several mascots that refer to indigenous or ethnic groups – the Vikings, Fighting Irish, the Cowboys – and yet New York has specifically singled out Native American heritage. We will investigate this matter fully.”

The Hill reports:

A spokesperson from the state’s Education Department told The Hill it has not received any official communication from the federal government on the matter. “However, 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,’” spokesperson JP O’Hare added.

“Massapequa has already filed, and lost, a lawsuit regarding this issue. We have encouraged the Massapequa school community to consult with local Indigenous representatives, who had the following to say on this issue,” he added. In 2023, state officials issued a directive requiring school districts to eliminate mascots that appear to appropriate Native American culture or risk losing state funding.

Trump weighed in a few days ago. Below is a flashback to McMahon’s time with the World Wrestling Foundation.



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