Massapequa Schools Sue Over 'Unconstitutional' Chiefs Ban: Report

MASSAPEQUA, NY — The Massapequa School District filed a lawsuit against the New York State Board of Regents on Thursday, claiming the board's ban of its schools' Chiefs mascot in April is "unconstitutional," according to a Friday report in Newsday.

Back in June, the district voted to comply with state's Native American mascot ban. Meanwhile, they were working on a legal challenge to maintain the "Chief" name and/or logo.

The Massapequa School District wrote an open letter in April detailing why the chief is an intrinsic part of the community.

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• Massapequa Schools To Seek Legal Counsel Amid NY Indigenous Mascot Ban
• Massapequa Commerce Pres. 'Disheartened' Chiefs Would Lose 'Tradition'
• Massapequa Votes To Comply With Native American Mascot Ban

"It is no secret the Chief logo is not just an image. It is Massapequa's history and has been adopted by more than just our school district," they wrote.

Massapequa produced a four-minute, 40-second video on YouTube that highlights the school slogan, "Once a Chief, Always a Chief."

As Patch previously reported, the New York Board of Regents had been expected to adopt a regulation fortifying the state Education Department's 22-year-old rule about school mascots, nicknames, and imagery based on indigenous people.

In 2001, then-Commissioner of Education Richard Mills said the use of Native American symbols or depictions as mascots could become a barrier to building a safe and nurturing school community and improving academic achievement for all students — and recommended districts change as soon as possible.

But Massapequa educators are arguing that the town itself is a tribute to centuries of Native Americans.

"From our very name of Massapequa to the many historical plaques located throughout town, we pay our respects to 365 years of history," the school's Board of Education and Superintendent William Brennan said in the April letter.

Schools that fail to comply with the rule could lose state funding, and officials could lose their jobs, officials said.

Read more in Newsday, which obtained a copy of the district's lawsuit against the New York State Board of Regents.