Massapequa Scores Victory as New York Moves to Drop Native American Logo Ban for School Sports

Massapequa High School will be able to keep its nickname, the Chiefs, after state leaders backed down from a court showdown.

According to a New York Post report, the Board of Regents plans to repeal a section of its 2023 mandate that banned Native American nicknames and imagery used as school mascots or logos statewide.

The decision came just days before a planned court hearing over the ban.

Massapequa Board of Education President Kerry Wachter told the New York Post the district was “proud of this victory.”

He added, “We encourage the Board of Regents to take the next step and repeal the regulation in its entirety. Once a Chief, always a Chief.”

State Education Department spokesperson JP O’Hare stated that the department would recommend that the Board of Regents leave decisions about “employee clothing, including apparel displaying offensive indigenous imagery” to local school districts.

This would give districts the same authority over such clothing as they have over other attire and personnel decisions.

Massapequa has no official mascot and there is no Native American imagery on team uniforms. Some merchandise for fans has featured the head of a Native American chief.

However, the district estimated it would cost nearly $1 million to rebrand away from its long-used name and logo.

Schools that failed to comply with the mandate also risked losing state funding.

In 2025, President Donald Trump pledged his support for the Chiefs in a Truth Social post that read, “LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!” He also posed in the Oval Office with a Massapequa sweatshirt.

After the news of Massapequa winning their battle, Trump posted, “A big WIN for Massapequa and DJT!”