The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has launched a probe into Connetquot Central School District on Long Island, New York, for allegedly “working to erase its Native American mascot and imagery, the Thunderbirds,” the agency said in a July 8 statement.
During the investigation, the ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will look at whether the school district violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the department said. Title VI prohibits programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, and national origin.
In May, the OCR determined that a policy from the New York State Board of Regents targeting Massapequa High School’s mascot, the Chiefs, including the logo, violated Title VI, the ED said in a May 30 statement….