Mascot Mandate: Feds Force School to Restore Thunderbird Name

Paul Riverbank, 1/23/2026Federal order sparks mascot standoff, fueling national debate over heritage, equality, and local identity.

When Connetquot Central School District decided in September to swap out “Thunderbirds,” their long-standing team nickname, for the more generic “T-Birds,” few people outside the community noticed at first. But that quiet change, sparked by a New York state order banning Native American mascots and team names, quickly snowballed.

The U.S. Department of Education has now stepped in, declaring the district’s action unlawful under federal guidelines. According to officials at the Office for Civil Rights, New York’s policy singles out mascots with Native American themes for removal, while leaving intact others named for European groups—teams like the “Dutchmen” or “Huguenots” are apparently unaffected. Assistant Secretary Kimberly Richey’s statement left little room for ambiguity: “We found Connetquot in violation of Title VI for erasing its Native American heritage,” she said, squarely blaming the state rule and insisting that equal treatment is “non-negotiable.”

The issue turned national almost overnight, buoyed by political figures who saw, in this dust-up over a team name, a pointed example of overreach and cultural erasure. Former President Trump weighed in via an online post, calling the push to eliminate names like “Chiefs” and “Thunderbirds” “ridiculous” and an “affront” to Native American communities. Others in his administration, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon, echoed those views, framing the state action as an attack by “woke ideologues” determined to stamp out cherished local traditions.

Caught between the directives from Albany and the pressure from Washington, Connetquot’s school board initially tried to tread a middle path—with “T-Birds” meant as a compromise. Federal officials, however, dismissed that as a half-measure. Their message to the district: Either reverse course and restore the old “Thunderbirds” name, or risk losing vital federal funding.

For some, the irony is hard to miss. The state’s intention—to prevent the casual use of Native American imagery—has led to a scenario in which federal authorities now argue that stripping away that very imagery is, itself, a violation of civil rights.

The Native American Guardians Association, represented by attorneys Oliver Roberts and Chap Peterson, struck a forceful tone in their response. They accused the district of disregarding Native voices and predicted that refusing to restore the Thunderbirds name would invite painful legal and financial penalties. “We warned Connetquot this would happen,” their statement read, with more than a hint of vindication.

The Department of Education, meanwhile, has put a clear choice in front of local officials: Accept a resolution, bring back the Thunderbirds, and let the matter drop—or face a potentially costly standoff.

Zooming out, what sets this episode apart is how a local identity debate has become woven into bigger national arguments about who decides which histories and symbols are worthy of school pride. For dozens of students in team jerseys, the mascot might feel like no more than a logo on a sweatshirt. For some activists and politicians, it’s now a battlefield for defining what respect, equality, and heritage should look like in American schools.

Connetquot’s leaders, for now, have few palatable options. Stand up to state regulators and risk the fallout, or bow to federal demands and restore a nickname under national scrutiny. The outcome—whatever it is—will almost certainly echo far beyond a single Long Island district. The controversy, like the debate over mascots themselves, is nowhere near settled.

On the south shore of Long Island, what started as a routine compliance move by a local school board has erupted into a contentious legal battle—now tangled in questions about history, identity, and federal authority.When Connetquot Central School District decided in September to swap out “Thunderbirds,” their long-standing team nickname, for the more generic “T-Birds,” few people outside the community noticed at first. But that quiet change, sparked by a New York state order banning Native American mascots and team names, quickly snowballed.The U.S. Department of Education has now stepped in, declaring the district’s action unlawful under federal guidelines. According to officials at the Office for Civil Rights, New York’s policy singles out mascots with Native American themes for removal, while leaving intact others named for European groups—teams like the “Dutchmen” or “Huguenots” are apparently unaffected. Assistant Secretary Kimberly Richey’s statement left little room for ambiguity: “We found Connetquot in violation of Title VI for erasing its Native American heritage,” she said, squarely blaming the state rule and insisting that equal treatment is “non-negotiable.”The issue turned national almost overnight, buoyed by political figures who saw, in this dust-up over a team name, a pointed example of overreach and cultural erasure. Former President Trump weighed in via an online post, calling the push to eliminate names like “Chiefs” and “Thunderbirds” “ridiculous” and an “affront” to Native American communities. Others in his administration, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon, echoed those views, framing the state action as an attack by “woke ideologues” determined to stamp out cherished local traditions.Caught between the directives from Albany and the pressure from Washington, Connetquot’s school board initially tried to tread a middle path—with “T-Birds” meant as a compromise. Federal officials, however, dismissed that as a half-measure. Their message to the district: Either reverse course and restore the old “Thunderbirds” name, or risk losing vital federal funding.For some, the irony is hard to miss. The state’s intention—to prevent the casual use of Native American imagery—has led to a scenario in which federal authorities now argue that stripping away that very imagery is, itself, a violation of civil rights.The Native American Guardians Association, represented by attorneys Oliver Roberts and Chap Peterson, struck a forceful tone in their response. They accused the district of disregarding Native voices and predicted that refusing to restore the Thunderbirds name would invite painful legal and financial penalties. “We warned Connetquot this would happen,” their statement read, with more than a hint of vindication.The Department of Education, meanwhile, has put a clear choice in front of local officials: Accept a resolution, bring back the Thunderbirds, and let the matter drop—or face a potentially costly standoff.Zooming out, what sets this episode apart is how a local identity debate has become woven into bigger national arguments about who decides which histories and symbols are worthy of school pride. For dozens of students in team jerseys, the mascot might feel like no more than a logo on a sweatshirt. For some activists and politicians, it’s now a battlefield for defining what respect, equality, and heritage should look like in American schools.Connetquot’s leaders, for now, have few palatable options. Stand up to state regulators and risk the fallout, or bow to federal demands and restore a nickname under national scrutiny. The outcome—whatever it is—will almost certainly echo far beyond a single Long Island district. The controversy, like the debate over mascots themselves, is nowhere near settled.