NY Board of Regents bans Native American mascots in public schools

The New York State Board of Regents voted unanimously Tuesday to prohibit public schools from using Native American team names, mascots, and logos, and John Kane—who is Mohawk and lives on Seneca territory upstate—says the move is decades overdue.

"You can't do it with Jewish people. You can't do it black people. You can't do it with the Hispanic people," Kane said. "But you can still do it to us. We're the only people used this way."

The decision means schools that don’t comply are at risk of losing out on some state funding. However, the decision is not sitting well with at least some of the more than 130 schools across the state that still use some type of native imagery, name, or mascot--including at least two on Long Island.

The school board in Massapequa-- whose mascot is the Chiefs--pushing back.

"The Chief is more than a symbol to Massapequa – it celebrates the rich history of our town and honors Chief Tackapausha," they write in a statement. "We believe the Board of Regents is overextending its reach and removing our local control. We have heard from many members of our community upset by this decision, and we stand beside you. We are Massapequa, and we will not sit idly by while an unelected group of officials tries to remove our history. We are in the process of reviewing the decision and investigating all options with legal counsel."

The school board in Wantagh-- currently home to the mascot the Warriors--says they will keep the Warrior name... but will develop "new imagery" to replace the Native American.

"Don't just change the imagery," Kane said. "Get rid of the whole thing."

Kane also sits on the state education department’s Indigenous Advisory Council, and he says the council won't endorse that kind of change.

"Every native organization across the country that is weighed in on this thing and has condemned the practice."

Both the Shinnecock and the Unkechaug Indian Nations on Long Island have made statements supporting the state Board of Regents’ decision.

"I don’t know any Native Americans that are pushing this," said Nassau County Executive Republican Bruce Blakeman on Good Day New York. "I think it portrays Native Americans as being courageous and brave, good athletes."

Kane takes issue with that.

"The bravery, the athleticism-- I mean, there's nothing to suggest that we were solely warriors or people on the warpath, but that's the way we're represented," Kane said. "I'm not saying that we're not a brave people, but honestly, if we were that successful, then why aren't we still on the very land that those schools sit on?"