By NYCLU
Photos: Wikimedia Commons
NEW YORK, NY – Thursday, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) rightly rebuked the Trump administration’s demand that New York repeal its ban on offensive Native American mascots. In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union released the following statement, attributable to Cassandra Minerd, Strategist in the NYCLU’s Racial Justice Center:
“NYSED is absolutely right to smack down the Trump administration’s gross attempt to make a mockery of Native American culture and twist long-standing civil rights law to serve its own agenda.
“Perpetuating harmful stereotypes through school mascots reduces rich cultures into inaccurate, demeaning representations — solidifying bias, distorting history, and fueling misinformation. Native nations do not want to be honored through problematic depictions of their culture.
“Title VI of the Civil Rights Act is intended to protect students from discrimination. If the Trump administration gets away with its gross weaponization of this law, New York’s public schools could lose vital funding — money that supports students, maintains facilities, and keeps classrooms up and running. This is especially relevant in schools that serve Native American students, which rely on the funds to operate.
“Indigenous communities deserve to live free from discrimination and send their kids to schools that respect their culture.”
