(Just The News)—The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights said an investigation revealed that two New York state agencies violated federal civil rights law by banning Native American-inspired mascots and logos.
The department’s investigation, unveiled Friday, determined that the New York Department of Education and the New York State Board of Regents violated the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after state agencies forced Massapequa School District, home of the Chiefs, to retire its mascot.
The agency said if the school doesn’t agree with the Education Department’s proposed resolution it could withhold federal education funding and refer the case to the Department of Justice for prosecution.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited the high school on Friday to discuss the findings of the agency’s investigation.
“The Trump administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes,” McMahon said. “Rather than focus on learning outcomes, the New York Department of Education and Board of Regents has set its sights on erasing Massapequa’s history – while turning a blind eye to other districts’ mascots that are derived from or connected to other racial or ethnic groups.”
The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by the Native American Guardians Association. It said the Board of Regents was violating federal antidiscrimination law by “forcing the Massapequa School District to eliminate its ‘Chiefs’ mascot based on its association with Native American culture.”
Two years ago, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to prohibit the use of Indigenous team names, mascots and logos by New York public schools. The move was backed by civil liberties groups and some Native American tribes, who said Indian mascots promote negative stereotypes and gloss over brutal suppression of the region’s indigenous people by colonial governments.
Under the regulations, names or imagery can be used if the school district gets formal consent from New York’s indigenous nations or tribes. The deadline to comply with the new rules is June 30, and schools deemed in violation could face state funding cuts.
Four Long Island school districts, including Massapequa, challenged the regulations in U.S. District Court but in March a federal judge rejected the complaint.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican and Trump supporter, praised the Education Department for intervening in the dispute over the mascot ban.
President Donald Trump has expressed support for Massapequa High School and called the idea of changing the school’s mascot “ridiculous.” In a post on social media, Trump urged McMahon to “fight for the people of Massapequa” by reviewing the mascot ban.
“We will stand with the people of Massapequa until commonsense is restored and justice is served, and until New York comes into compliance with federal law,” McMahon said Friday.
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.