School districts on Long Island have a week to respond to New York's ban on team names, mascots and logos with Native American imagery.
The Massapequa Board of Education decided in a unanimous vote that it would comply with the state regulations for now. The board came to the decision Thursday night after a closed-door executive session with legal counsel.
School districts in New York have until June 30 to make a decision regarding name or logo changes. Massapequa says it will comply with regulations to avoid penalties, but the board says it wants to keep its Chiefs mascot. It plans to challenge the order in court.
Massapequa is one of several school districts which hosted community forums to address residents' concerns. The Amityville School District hosted its community forum Wednesday to hear opinions about the district’s Warriors logo and slogan.
Several residents voiced opposition to the state Education Department’s decision. Amityville officials have previously said the district would attempt to phase out its logo but that it wanted to keep its Warriors team name.
More than a dozen Long Island districts could be affected by the ban. While several have agreed to change their names and logos, others plan to appeal.
Districts that do not remove the imagery by the end of the 2024-25 school year could face withholding of state aid.
