The Massapequa Chiefs are calling on the commander-in-chief for assist.
Livid school-board members within the Lengthy Island city are asking President Trump to assist them combat to maintain their district’s Native American brand after a decide just lately dominated in opposition to them of their authorized battle with the state.
“Altering the title doesn’t have any good impact on our youngsters. That is their identification, that is who they’re — they’re Chiefs,” Massapequa Faculty Board President Kerry Wachter informed The Submit, including that the district has already issued an SOS to Trump’s Division of Training.
“Maybe the secretary of schooling or President Trump may really feel that they could have some authority right here to step in,” she stated.
A decide dominated in late March in opposition to Massapequa in its battle with the state Board of Regents, which issued a statewide mandate in 2023 to take away Native American names and imagery from all New York public colleges.
The district — whose title, together with the city’s, comes from the native Marsapeague tribe — says the transfer wouldn’t solely kill its identification, it additionally would price about $1 million in rebranding.
Three fellow Lengthy Island cities have been a part of the Hail Mary authorized motion to maintain their crew names: the Wantagh Warriors, the Wyandanch Warriors and the Connetquot Thunderbirds.
Matt Susco, the president of the Wantagh Preservation Society who has a tattoo of a Native American head in full headdress on his left arm, was outraged over the choice.
“‘Warrior’ isn’t a reputation that solely belongs to the Native People,” he stated.
Susco stated he is also hoping Trump or somebody in his cupboard will intervene.
“He’s well-aware of Lengthy Island,” Susco stated of the president. “He’d are available in and assist us.”
Wachter stated it was “ironic” to see US Chief District Decide Margo Brodie write in court docket paperwork that the colleges “failed” to show that their argument fell “throughout the scope of the First Modification’s safety.”
The varsity-board president additionally stated democracy has been benched all through the two-year ordeal as a result of the Board of Regents, whose members are appointed by the state legislature, “by no means obtained right into a dialog” with Massapequa.
“It was simply an edict that got here out of Albany. It’s simply one thing punitive,” Wachter stated of the brand ban. “And if we don’t push again right here, then the place does it finish?”
“The overwhelming majority of our residents are 100% behind us in preventing for the Chiefs,” stated Wachter, who’s fuming over the concept of spending an pointless million bucks to alter out emblems on colleges’ gyms, fields and elsewhere.
She stated Massapequa would have fortunately expanded college students’ native Native American schooling — already taught in fourth grade — by having tribes go to colleges. Nods to Massapequa’s Native American legacy are already discovered throughout city, together with in a mural painted by college students subsequent to the highschool.
“All the things is being named for the individuals who have been right here earlier than,” she stated of the district’s title and brand that reveals a non-cartoonish Native American chief in a headdress.
“So how can a crew title that goes together with that college district title, with that city title, be derogatory? It’s not,” Wachter stated.
‘Pequa Satisfaction
Notable alumni say they’re simply as flabbergasted and indignant to see a big a part of their city and faculty’s historical past being scrubbed with out regard for native context.
Gary Baldinger, an MHS alum who went on to play for the NFL’s Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and just lately retired from Massapequa’s schooling board, drastically favors his high-school alma mater staying because the Chiefs.
“It’s simply unbelievable that point, effort and cash could be spent on a scenario like this,” Baldinger stated. “Do they really feel like college students are going to study higher? It’s actually simply past foolish.”
Patrick Pizzarelli, director of the native Part VIII public-school athletics who performed soccer for MHS within the Nineteen Seventies, stated, “Being the chief of a tribe is an honor. Being a Massapequa Chief was one of many largest honors you had in highschool.
“For my part level, there’s no destructive ideas with it.”
Joseph Saladino, Oyster Bay’s city supervisor who performed hockey for Massapequa as a pupil, additionally thinks the concept of banning the Chiefs belongs within the penalty field.
“If something, this title respects, brings pleasure and teaches individuals concerning the historical past of Lengthy Island and the indigenous individuals who have been right here earlier than,” stated Saladino, whose jurisdiction oversees Massapequa.
“It’s an essential a part of our heritage. Reasonably than erasing historical past, we needs to be speaking concerning the Native individuals,” he stated.
Baldinger and Wachter stated the ban can’t cease followers within the stands from nonetheless exhibiting their true colours. As it’s, residents already love donning “As soon as a Chief, at all times a Chief” clothes.
“These are going to change into scorching gadgets,” Baldinger stated.
“Whether or not they take [the Chiefs logo] away, it’s not going to alter the pleasure we now have in who we’re. We’re going to proceed as a city, as a neighborhood, proceed to put on it with as a lot as potential.”
The White Home didn’t reply to a Submit request for remark Monday.
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