Latest news with #Dutchmen
The Mainichi
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Trump's education secretary threatens to pull funding from NY over its Native American mascot ban
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. (AP) -- New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban is discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the "Dutchmen" and the "Huguenots," are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an "incredible" representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. "The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes," the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment said. McMahon said her department will give the state ten days to sign an agreement rescinding its Native American mascot ban and apologizing to Native Americans for having discriminated against them and attempted to "erase" their history. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as "political theater" and said the school district was doing a "grave disservice" to its students by refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns. "These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children," he said in a statement. Representatives from the Native American Guardians Association, who voiced support for keeping the chief mascot at Friday's event, also don't speak on behalf of local Indigenous residents, despite claims from school officials, said Adam Drexler, a Massapequa resident and member of the Chickasaw Nation. "They're Native Americans for hire," he said, noting the group is based in North Dakota. "They have no tribal authority." Meanwhile the National Congress of American Indians, considered the country's oldest and largest Native American advocacy group, reaffirmed its long-standing opposition to the use of unsanctioned Native American imagery. "These depictions are not tributes -- they are rooted in racism, cultural appropriation, and intentional ignorance," the organization said in a statement ahead of McMahon's appearance. Trump ordered the federal education department to launch an inquiry into the Massapequa mascot dispute last month, making the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Manhattan, the town has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Trump ally who joined McMahon on the visit, echoed the sentiments of residents who support keeping the mascot. The Massapequa chief, he said, is meant to "honor" the town's Native American heritage, not "denigrate" it. "They're trying to change our culture, and we're not having it," Blakeman said. The town is named after the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware, people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. But indigenous residents on Long Island have called Massapequa's mascot problematic as it depicts a Native American man wearing a headdress that was typically worn by tribes in the American Midwest, but not in the Northeast. The cheery mascot also obscures Massapequa's legacy of violence against Native Americans, which includes the site of a Native American massacre in the 1600s, Native American activists have said. Massapequa, which is roughly 90% white, has long been a conservative bastion popular with New York City police and firefighters. Trump visited the town last year to attend the wake of a New York City police officer and has made frequent visits to Long Island as it has shifted Republican. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Hollywood's Baldwin brothers and the Long Island's alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer are also among Massapequa High's notable alums. ___ This story has been corrected to remove a reference to the event taking place Thursday. It took place Friday.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Trump admin threatens to cut NY funding over Native American mascot ban
US Education Secretary Linda McMahon said her agency found New York state officials violated Title VI by banning Native American mascots and logos AP New York New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the Dutchmen and the "Huguenots", are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an incredible representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. The Trump administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes, the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) said. McMahon said her department will give the state 10 days to sign an agreement rescinding its Native American mascot ban and apologising to Native Americans for having discriminated against them and attempted to erase their history. J P O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as political theatre and said the school district was doing a grave disservice to its students by refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns. These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children, he said in a statement. Representatives from the Native American Guardians Association, who voiced support for keeping the chief mascot at Thursday's event, also don't speak on behalf of local indigenous residents, despite claims from school officials, Adam Drexler, a Massapequa resident and member of the Chickasaw Nation, said. They're Native Americans for hire, he said, noting the group is based in North Dakota. They have no tribal authority. Meanwhile the National Congress of American Indians, considered the country's oldest and largest Native American advocacy group, reaffirmed its long-standing opposition to the use of unsanctioned Native American imagery. These depictions are not tributes -- they are rooted in racism, cultural appropriation, and intentional ignorance, the organisation said in a statement ahead of McMahon's appearance. Trump ordered the federal education department to launch an inquiry into the Massapequa mascot dispute last month, making the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Located about 64-km east of Manhattan, the town has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trump's education secretary threatens to pull funding from New York over its Native American mascot ban
New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban is discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the 'Dutchmen' and the 'Huguenots,' are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an 'incredible' representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. 'The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes,' the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment said. McMahon said her department will be asking the state to voluntarily sign a resolution rescinding its Native American mascot ban and allowing districts to continue using the mascot of their choosing. The resolution would also include an apology to tribes, acknowledging that the state discriminated against Native Americans and 'attempted to erase Native American history,' the department said. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as 'political theater' that disrupted students' class time. He also said Massapequa is doing a 'grave disservice' to its students by ignoring facts and refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns over the mascot. 'These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children,' O'Hare said in a statement. 'If we truly wish to honor our Native American people, we will teach our students the true history of the area's Indigenous people and how they advanced our civilization – rather than perpetuating outdated and disproven myths.' Trump ordered the federal education department, which he has moved to dismantle, to launch an inquiry into the dispute last month. The move has made the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Massapequa, which is about 40 miles east of Manhattan, has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials, who have been trying to remove offending mascots and team names for more than two decades, gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. Residents who support keeping the mascot have argued the image has been a part of the community's identity for generations and is meant to honor its Native American past. The town is named after the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware, people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern US and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. But indigenous residents on Long Island and elsewhere in New York have called Massapequa's mascot problematic as it depicts a Native American man wearing a headdress that was typically worn by tribes in the American Midwest, but not in the Northeast. The cheery mascot also obscures Massapequa's legacy of violence against Native Americans, which includes the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, Native American activists have said. Massapequa, which is roughly 90% white, has long been a conservative bastion popular with New York City police and firefighters. Trump visited the town last year to attend the wake of a New York City police officer and has made frequent visits to Long Island as it has shifted Republican. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Hollywood's Baldwin brothers and the Long Island's alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer are also among Massapequa High's notable alums.
4 days ago
- Politics
Trump's education secretary threatens to pull funding from NY over its Native American mascot ban
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. -- New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban is discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the 'Dutchmen' and the 'Huguenots,' are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an 'incredible' representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. 'The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes,' the former longtime CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment said. McMahon said her department will be asking the state to voluntarily sign a resolution rescinding its Native American mascot ban and allowing districts to continue using the mascot of their choosing. The resolution would also include an apology to tribes, acknowledging that the state discriminated against Native Americans and 'attempted to erase Native American history,' the department said. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the New York education department, dismissed McMahon's visit as 'political theater' that disrupted students' class time. He also said Massapequa is doing a 'grave disservice' to its students by ignoring facts and refusing to consult with local tribes about their concerns over the mascot. 'These representatives will tell them, as they have told us, that certain Native American names and images perpetuate negative stereotypes and are demonstrably harmful to children,' O'Hare said in a statement. 'If we truly wish to honor our Native American people, we will teach our students the true history of the area's Indigenous people and how they advanced our civilization – rather than perpetuating outdated and disproven myths.' Trump ordered the federal education department, which he has moved to dismantle, to launch an inquiry into the dispute last month. The move has made the coastal suburb an unlikely flashpoint in the enduring debate over the place of Indigenous imagery in American sports. Massapequa, which is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Manhattan, has for years fought a state mandate to retire Native American sports names and mascots. But its lawsuit challenging the state's 2023 ban on constitutional grounds was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this year. State education officials, who have been trying to remove offending mascots and team names for more than two decades, gave districts until the end of this school year to commit to replacing them or risk losing education funding. Schools could be exempt from the mandate if they gained approval from a local Native American tribe, but Massapequa never sought such permission, state officials have said. Residents who support keeping the mascot have argued the image has been a part of the community's identity for generations and is meant to honor its Native American past. The town is named after the Massapequa, who were part of the broader Lenape, or Delaware, people who inhabited the woodlands of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada for thousands of years before being decimated by European colonization. But indigenous residents on Long Island and elsewhere in New York have called Massapequa's mascot problematic as it depicts a Native American man wearing a headdress that was typically worn by tribes in the American Midwest, but not in the Northeast. The cheery mascot also obscures Massapequa's legacy of violence against Native Americans, which includes the site of a massacre in which scores of Native men, women and children were killed by Europeans in the 1600s, Native American activists have said. Massapequa, which is roughly 90% white, has long been a conservative bastion popular with New York City police and firefighters.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Trump's education secretary threatens federal civil rights lawsuit over Long Island high school being forced to ditch Chiefs mascot
Sec. of Education Linda McMahon is threatening to have a federal civil rights case brought against New York state for forcing a Long Island high school to ditch its Native American mascot while other schools with names like Vikings or Dutchmen are allowed to remain. During a Friday visit to Massapequa High School, McMahon called the state Board of Regents 2023 decision to ban their beloved 'Chiefs' nickname a 'violation' of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Secretary McMahon visited Massapequa High School on Friday. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post She said that if the state doesn't reverse course and allow the Chiefs and their feathered headdress logo to remain she will refer the issue to the Justice Department to pursue. 'That's how serious we are about it,' McMahon said inside the high school's gym. 'If you look at the states, you've got the Huguenots, we've got the Highlanders, we got the Scotsmen. Why is that not considered in any way racist?' This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
