NOTE TO STUDENTS: Before answering the questions, read the "Background" and watch the video under "Resources."

1. a) What ban did the NY Board of Regents place on New York schools in the spring of 2023? - What is the deadline for schools to comply with the order?
b) How many school districts in Long Island, NY were affected by the NY Board of Regents mandate?
c) How many school districts are still trying to fight the order? - Name these school districts and their mascots.

2. Amityville had joined the others fighting the forced name changes in court - why did they back out of the lawsuit?

3. Why did the Amityville School District choose the name "Hawks" for its new mascot?

4. How did Amityville choose to the new mascot?

5. The school districts that used Native American images and names like Warriors or Chiefs said they were meant to honor Native Americans - not disrespect them.

• The Native American tribe associated with Wyandanch is the Montaukett (or Montauk) people, and the area is named after their sachem [Chief], Wyandanch.
• The Shinnecock, who traditionally inhabited the area surrounding Amityville, are the Native American group most associated with the area.
• Wantagh takes its name from the sachem [chief] of the Merokee tribe, which inhabited the area prior to the 17th century.
• The Native American tribe associated with Connetquot is the Secatogue, a subgroup of the Algonquin Indians, and their sachem (chief) was Winnequaheagh.

In April 2023 it was reported: "New York will join 21 other states that have considered taking formal action to ban the use of Native American names and imagery. This includes Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Vermont and Oregon that have implemented similar bans."

The Shinnecock Nation in Long Island said that the use of names, logos and mascots that imply references to indigenous cultures is insulting and dehumanizes native people and their traditions. The Shinnecock Nation said it is open to allowing the Wyandanch School District to keep its Warriors team name if it removes its Native American imagery.

Read the following reader comments.
What do you think? Is a school's use of native American imagery disrespectful? Explain your answer.

• "It's only white liberals who this "offends". I live in Tulsa, OK. Middle of Native America. The largest high school out here is The Union Redskins (look it up). A few years back, they took a vote with the tribes to see if this name/mascot was offensive and it overwhelmingly passed to keep Redskins as the school mascot and name. Left wing trying to make something out of nothing."
• "Well redskin does seem prejudice[d]. Warriors, Indians, not prejudice[d]."
• "I guess the Yankees (which is an offensive name by woke standards) can no longer refer to Paul O'Neill as The Warrior."
• "Whenever I use the term yankee I definitely mean it as a pejorative."
• "Doesn’t matter. Just rename the team and move on."
• "These names do not disrespect Native Americans, they honor them. Doesn't anyone else see this? Removing these names is just like taking down statues, and it's got to stop."
• "The district should have just change the mascot from an indian to a gang member from the movie "Warriors" - there, problem solved."
• "I suggested to my cousin in Massapequa that they keep the name [the Chiefs], but change the mascot to a fat white guy in a fireman’s hat and a bottle of whiskey. She didn’t take kindly to it."
• "Massapequa uses the mascot of 'Chief' with profile of a Native American in head dress as the logo. All they needed to do is simply change the Native American logo to a firefighter helmet and boom, done."
• "Some towns do not realize how racist they are. They had a long enough time to change their name but due to their white privilege they didn’t."
• "Wyandanch is 8% white. Eight percent. The BOE is 100% not white. But you’re right, must be all their white privilege and not the fact that the community takes pride in their mascot and is simply standing up for what they believe in."