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3w ago

Federal Probe Targets New York's Native American Mascot Ban

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating whether the ban violates federal civil rights law, as schools face compliance deadlines and funding threats.

A Big Chief Lewis statue is surrounded by a fence in Massapequa, N.Y., Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A marquee announces "Home of the Chiefs" at the Massapequa High School, in Massapequa, N.Y., Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A person lies on the grass in front of Massapequa High School, in Massapequa, N.Y., Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A mural adorns a wall next to the Massapequa High School, in Massapequa, N.Y., Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Overview

  • The Trump administration has launched a Title VI civil rights investigation into New York's ban on Native American mascots in public schools.
  • U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced the probe, claiming the ban erases cultural heritage and violates federal anti-discrimination laws.
  • New York State Education Department officials criticized the investigation, noting no federal contact and pointing to prior court rulings upholding the ban.
  • Schools that fail to comply with the ban by this summer risk losing state funding and the removal of school board members.
  • Native American leaders argue the mascots perpetuate harmful stereotypes, while legal experts question the federal government's legal basis for intervention.