Trump Administration Refers New York Mascot Ban Case to Justice Department

The Trump administration, led by Education Secretary Linda McMahon, has escalated its support for the Massapequa School District in Long Island as it resists New York State's ban on Native American mascots, referring the case to the U.S. Department of Justice after state agencies refused to comply with federal anti-discrimination law. The administration argues that New York's ban violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against Native American mascots while allowing European-origin mascots, deeming the state's policy unconstitutional and disrespectful to the people of Massapequa. The Department of Education's investigation found that the New York Department of Education and Board of Regents violated federal civil rights laws and that efforts to resolve the issue peacefully were rejected by the state. New York officials have criticized the federal intervention as a politically motivated farce that undermines respect for diverse communities. The state has mandated that schools remove Native American mascots by June 30 or face loss of state funding, but Massapequa remains committed to keeping its “Chiefs” mascot. The federal referral represents a significant intensification of the conflict over cultural representation and civil rights in public education.