Monday, May 19, 2025
The Wantagh Board of Education is pressing forward with its effort to keep the Warriors name, announcing plans to appeal a federal court decision that dismissed its lawsuit challenging New York’s ban on Native American mascots and team names, according to a News 12 report.
The lawsuit, filed by the Wantagh School District along with Wyandanch, Connetquot and Massapequa, was dismissed by U.S. Chief District Judge Margo Brodie on March 27. In her ruling, Brodie said the districts did not provide sufficient evidence to support their claims and lacked legal standing to sue under the Fourteenth Amendment, court documents show.
According to News 12, Wantagh school officials plan to file an appeal with the Second Circuit Court on Monday.
“We are disappointed by the court’s ruling that requires Wantagh to move away from its longstanding Warrior nickname,” Wantagh Superintendent John McNamara said in an emailed statement to the Herald in early April. “We are currently reviewing the decision and will explore all available options as we move forward.”
The state Board of Regents voted unanimously in April 2023 to adopt the resolution banning Native American mascots, logos, and team names in public schools, which took effect the following month. School districts have until the end of the 2024-25 school year to rebrand and eliminate Indigenous references. Schools that fail to comply risk losing state aid but may apply for an extension if they show they are making efforts to meet the requirements.
The Wantagh Board of Education filed its lawsuit against the Board of Regents in September 2023, arguing that the resolution was unconstitutional. Wyandanch, Connetquot and Massapequa later joined the suit.
According to the lawsuit, Wantagh had planned to alter its mascots and logos to remove Native American imagery but aimed to retain the Warriors nickname, arguing that the term is a universal cultural symbol and not exclusively Native American.
While the lawsuit was dismissed, a new bill introduced in the State Senate could offer Wantagh another path to preserve its Warriors identity. Senate Bill 2025-S717, sponsored by State Sen. Steve Rhoads, would exempt Wantagh from the state’s mascot ban, allowing the district to keep its Warriors name and possibly its logo.
As of press time, the bill was under review in the Senate Education Committee.
Rhoads has argued that the Warriors name honors Wantagh’s history and its connection to Indigenous tribes. The bill states that the mascot was chosen to pay tribute to Chief Wantagh, a Grand Sachem of the Montaukett tribe, and contends that the Board of Regents’ mandate does not account for the district’s unique historical connection to Indigenous culture.
However, not everyone agrees that the Warriors identity is a tribute. The Shinnecock Nation, one of New York’s oldest self-governing tribes, has stated that the use of Indigenous mascots is demeaning and dehumanizing. Josephine Smith, director of the tribe’s Cultural Resources Department, said Indigenous people should not be used as symbols for schools or sports teams.
The Wantagh school board said it filed the lawsuit in response to community feedback. A mascot survey conducted in July 2023 drew more than 900 responses, with more than 88 percent of participants supporting the Warriors identity and nearly 75 percent backing legal action against the state’s decision.
Since the resolution took effect, schools across New York have been working to remove Native American imagery from their branding, including those that use the Warriors nickname.
This is a developing story.
