Trump team now working to save Native American mascots from schools that were told to remove them
Source: The Independent
Thursday 29 January 2026 19:50 EST
The Trump administration is pushing to retain a Native American mascot at a New York school that had been banned by state regulators, triggering strong reactions from activists. Last week, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights accused the Connetquot Central School District on Long Island of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. It argued that the district changed its mascot from the Thunderbirds to the T-Birds “solely because it originates from Native American symbolism.”
But the district was only abiding by state rules. In 2022, New York state’s education department prohibited public schools from using Native American logos, mascots or team names without the express approval of a recognized tribe, noting that such references could be seen as demeaning or offensive.
As a result, the OCR determined in May that the rule violated Title VI, reasoning that it imposed race-based classifications in education policy since mascots referencing other groups — such as the “Dutchman” or the “Huguenots”— remained permitted.
“We expect the District to do the right thing and comply with our resolution agreement to voluntarily resolve its civil rights violation and restore the Thunderbirds’ rightful name,” the OCR said in a January 22 news release. “The Trump Administration will not relent in ensuring that every community is treated equally under the law.” A spokesperson for the district did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/native-american-mascots-schools-trump-b2910477.html