President Trump says Massapequa High School should keep Chiefs logo
President Trump is getting involved in a battle over a Long Island high school's Native American team name and mascot.
Trump posted on Truth Social in part, "I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School. Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population."
In 2023, New York state banned the use of Native American mascots, affecting 13 Long Island school districts. Nine have complied; four have not, including Massapequa High School.
Mr. Trump says he is asking Education Secretary Linda McMahon to go to bat on behalf of the village. The school board said in a statement they are grateful for the support to continue the fight.
"We are proud of it. We're proud to be a Chief."
Many students and residents say they want to keep the mascot and are glad the president is getting involved.
"President Trump, he's helping out the people, and I'm glad about that," one Massapequa High School senior said.
"He's involved in everything. That really shocks you. For better or for worse, he's always involved," one parent said.
The Massapequa School Board also says keeping the logo would save $1 million in forced rebranding.
"I think we need to keep it 'cause it's really important to our school," another senior said.
"They don't say nothing about the Kansas City Chiefs in pro football," one Massapequa resident said.
"As a Massapequa Chief, it's just a part of our town," one student said.
"We are proud of it. We're proud to be a Chief," another high school senior said.
Residents say they believe the mascot honors Long Island's Native American history.
Indian Nations offended by mascot
Some Native Americans have called the mascots racist.
"It's been said by native chiefs they don't like the name because it appropriates their culture," one high school senior said.
The Unkechaug and Shinnecock Indian Nations say they are deeply offended by the mascot.
"The mascot has been demonstrated both emotionally and medically to be damaging to Native children, who see that as a humiliation of their culture and their way of life," Unkechaug Indian Nation Chief Harry Wallace said.
A representative for the Shinnecock Indian Nation sent CBS News New York the following statement:
"Disrespecting entire groups of people is wrong in any context, but especially in our schools, where all students should feel welcome and supported.
"In April 2023, the Board of Regents adopted regulations to end the use of demeaning Indigenous names and mascots in New York's public schools once and for all. They were compelled to act because certain Native American names and images have been shown to perpetuate negative stereotypes that are demonstrably harmful to children.
"Massapequa stayed silent during the regulatory process. They did not reach out to Indigenous leaders or engage with the Department's Mascot Advisory Committee to determine whether its Native American team name and mascot would be permissible. Instead, Massapequa decided to pursue litigation challenging the State's regulations. Unsurprisingly, these cases have been dismissed. State and federal courts have upheld the Department's authority to prohibit these mascots. It is ironic that the federal government now seeks to intervene on an issue that is squarely reserved to the States.
"If members of the Massapequa board of education are genuinely interested in honoring and respecting Long Island's Native American past, they should talk to the Indigenous people who remain on Long Island. Our regulations, in fact, specifically permit the continued use of Native American names and mascots if approved by local tribal leaders. As Germain Smith, former General Council Secretary of the Shinnecock Indian Nation eloquently stated in support of the Department's position, 'Speaking for myself as a tribal leader and as an Indigenous person, the message that is being sent by [the state regulations] is that we're not a symbol, we're not a mascot, we're not history. We're real people that are still here and still exist.'"
