The Massapequa School District has led a national charge against the state’s ban on mascots, names and logos that possess Native American imagery, but the nearby Syosset School District has taken an opposite approach
The state Education Department announced that schools were originally tasked with establishing a new mascot by the end of the 2022-23 school year, but this was later changed to June 2025.
This affected several districts within Nassau County. Some decided to fight the change, like in Massapequa, while others accepted it like Syosset.
The Syosset School District, formerly known as the “Braves,” has complied with the state’s mandate since its announcement. The board of education voted in May 2023 to eliminate the use of its former mascot, and this May, the community voted on a new name and logo, with its announcement expected in the upcoming weeks.
The Massapequa School District, on the other hand, has continuously fought against the state’s ban, which led to the U.S. Department of Education getting involved and finding that the state’s ban violated the Civil Rights Act.
MASSAPEQUA
The Massapequa School District, along with the Wyandanch, Wantagh, and Connetquot School Districts, filed a lawsuit against the state in 2024. The lawsuit was dismissed in federal court in March.
In April, President Trump posted his personal support for Massapequa on social media.
“I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their teams and school,” Trump said.
Shortly after, the U.S. Department of Education launched a probe into the state’s education department, saying it was investigating the legality of the mandate.
The head of the U.S. Department of State, Linda McMahon, traveled to Massapequa High School on June 7 to announce that the department will require the state to reverse its ban.
Kerry Wachter, the president of the district’s board of education, has been one of the many leaders in the district’s fight. She said following the investigation on the state’s ban, it would also be a violation of the Civil Rights Act to follow the state’s guidelines.
“Any district that complies is complicit in discrimination against Indigenous communities—and faces significant legal exposure as a result,” Wachter said.
She said the district’s decision to stand firm is due to identity reasons, and that being a ‘Chief’
“Chiefs is not just a logo—it is part of who we are,” she said. “It represents a tradition rooted in pride, unity, and community identity. For generations, students, families, and alumni have grown up embracing the values the Chief symbolizes: strength, leadership, and respect.”
She also said the community regards the name and imagery as a tribute to Native Americans.
Wachter also said that the decision to switch away from the Chiefs would cost the community financially.
“By defending our rights and heritage, we are saving the taxpayers of our town many millions of dollars that would otherwise be wasted on forced, unlawful changes,” she said.
Wachter also highlighted the district’s agreement with the Native American Guardians’ Association, which has supported Massapequa’s fight to remain the Chiefs. The organization also filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s regulation.
“We urge policymakers to reconsider these sweeping mandates and to foster appreciation, not annihilation of our shared cultural legacy,” the Native American Guardian’s Association’s vice president, Frank Black Cloud, said when the findings of the federal investigation were announced.
The local Massapequa community has demonstrated that it too supports the fight. The recently created Save the Chiefs Foundation hosted a fundraising event on June 7, which raised roughly $13,000 for the district’s legal fight against the state. Many Massapequa residents came out in support of their school district and the Trump administration, which has publicly backed the district’s cause.
SYOSSET
In November 2024, the Syosset Board of Education announced a Mascot Selection Committee, which received 243 sign-ups according to the school’s website. Since then, it has met four times, with attendance varying from 15 to 60 people per meeting. The committee conducted community surveys for input throughout the process as well.
In January, the committee comprised nine team names, which were whittled down to four in February and finalized on May 19.
Then, in May, the district voted on the district’s new name and logo, choosing between the Syosset Sabres, Syosset Thunder, Syosset Titans, and Syosset Storm.
At the district’s Monday, June 9 board of education meeting, Syosset Superintendent Thomas Rogers said the district plans on asking for a state extension on the removal of imagery from the schools’ facilities. He said the district does not anticipate being able to remove the name and logo from athletic facilities, like the end zone on the turf field, until next summer.
Because state law has not changed, Rogers said the district is still “under the obligation to comply” with the regulation and retire the mascot by the end of this year. In order to receive the extension, Rogers said the state requires “good faith compliance” with the mandate, meaning that districts have taken steps towards a mascot change.
Rogers said he is “optimistic” that the state will grant it, as other districts have reportedly received extensions as well.
At the board meeting, student Joseph DiBacco voiced his concerns over the mascot change. He said the Braves mascot is “historic” to the school district and showcases an “American spirit.”
DiBacco said there are many school and sports team traditions involving the name “Braves,” such as chants or songs. He said some sports teams have stopped doing these traditions out of fear of “consequences.”
“Braves is not really a bad name, it’s representing what we used to be and what used to be here. It’s a great name to use for a team,” he said.
DiBacco asked why some districts, like Massapequa, get to keep their mascot while others do not.
Rogers said Massapequa is not permitted to keep its mascot and is subject to the same consequences that Syosset is.
“We’re all subject to the same rules, and we’re all subject to the same enforcement mechanisms,” Rogers said. He said that the potential consequences of not changing the mascot include the withholding of state funds.
Syosset Board of Education President Carol Cheng said that the district will closely monitor the state’s mandate to see if there are any changes.
“We are going to stay attentive to the development both from the state and also the federal government,” she said.
“We’ll remain attentive to whatever developments occur,” Rogers said.
