The New York State Education Department is doubling down on its ban on Native American-themed sports team names and mascots in public schools, in defiance of the federal government’s order to overturn the policy.
In response to federal accusations that the statewide mandate is itself discriminatory—by singling out teams bearing Native American-related names and imagery while allowing others to compete as “Dutchmen,” “Vikings,” and “Huguenots”—state officials on Thursday proposed extending the ban to all mascots connected to any race or ethnicity.
