Massapequa pledged to proceed the “battle” to maintain Chiefs as its college staff title after a decide tossed a lawsuit seeking to dissolve a state ban on indigenous mascots.
The varsity district and the Native American Guardians Affiliation sued the state Board of Regents over its controversial 2023 mandate that required all public faculties to take away indigenous imagery and staff names or face funding cuts.
However a Lengthy Island decide dismissed the go well with and refused an injunction on the ban — with college officers now pledging to enchantment the “incorrect resolution.”
“We’ll proceed to battle to protect the Chiefs’ title,” the Massapequa Board of Training stated in an announcement to The Put up Tuesday.
The non-profit NAGA, which is closely for the usage of Native American mascots in sports activities tradition, contracted with Massapequa to allow and assist its use of the Chiefs’ brand, along with having the group train supplementary indigenous instructional curriculum.
“You’re speaking about energy, speaking about being one thing that folks uphold,” NAGA member Frank Black Cloud beforehand advised The Put up of the Chiefs and associated names.
“Folks need to emulate you.”
The guardians argued in courtroom that forcing the city to take away its longtime Chiefs title interfered with NAGA’s proper to contract — however Choose Sanket Bulsara shot down that stance in a ruling final month.
“NAGA has no proper to the Chiefs mascot. It doesn’t personal it or have a trademark on it,” Bulsara wrote in courtroom papers. “NAGA has no larger proper to license the Chiefs mascot than a random member of the general public.”
Bulsara was additionally crucial of the state, writing that New York’s Native mascot and brand ban “might have critical constitutional defects.”
“It seems to enact a authorized classification based mostly on race or ancestry, which topics it to essentially the most demanding type of judicial scrutiny,” the decide added.
“The legislation might also abridge the First Modification free speech rights of Massapequa College Board members and District staff. These tough questions, nevertheless, are usually not the topic of this opinion.”
The New York State Training Division didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Black Cloud and extra members of NAGA joined Secretary of Training Linda McMahon at Massapequa Excessive College’s gymnasium final Could as she spoke to college students and vowed federal assist for the conservative city.
“It’s a prime precedence of this administration to guard Massapequa,” McMahon reiterated to The Put up in August.
President Trump has additionally been vocal for months on the matter, and final summer season advised Fox Information host and Massapequa native Brian Kilmeade, “We’ve received to get the title again to the Chiefs.”
“It has change into the College’s id and, what could possibly be unsuitable with utilizing the title, “Chief”? I don’t see the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs altering their title anytime quickly!” Trump posted on Reality Social in April.
NAGA has till Dec. 29 to file an amended grievance.
