Lawsuit filed over New York school district mascot linked to white supremacy

In April 2024, a Long Island, New York school district initiated a process to select a new mascot to replace its previous Native American-themed mascot, The Indians, following directives from the New York Education Department prohibiting indigenous names and mascots without official permissions. After gathering community input through an online survey, the Brentwood Union Free School District chose the Spartans based on the most popular votes. However, this choice faced immediate backlash, as local civil rights leader William King Moss III, who is the president of the Islip Town NAACP, filed a lawsuit against the district on March 26, 2025, arguing that the Spartan mascot symbolizes White supremacy and is thus “racially problematic.” Moss, who is a former teacher in the district and a father of two students, claims that the mascot’s association with ancient Greek warriors is offensive to various demographics, including women and indigenous groups, pointing out that the ancient Spartans were known for their oppressive practices against the Helots, who were enslaved by them. Moss contends that the selection process of the mascot lacked democratic integrity and demanded another vote, emphasizing that the mascot’s selection ignored concerns over its racial implications. He argues that the representation of the Spartans reinforces negative stereotypes surrounding ethnic identities, specifically focusing on whiteness and masculinity. Although the school board defended its decision, asserting that the name is used by many school districts in New York, Moss’s lawsuit challenges this view on grounds of equal protection and due process violations under state and federal law. The Brentwood Union Free School District has declined to comment further on the pending litigation. The previous mascot, The Indians, was officially banned following a statewide mandate requiring educational institutions to abandon indigenous-themed mascots, a directive aimed at recognizing the significance of respecting tribal nations and their rights. With the controversy surrounding the new mascot, the situation has exposed divisions within the community regarding the chosen identity for the school and may have far-reaching implications for how educational institutions navigate the balance between tradition and societal values around diversity and representation. As this legal battle unfolds, questions about the viability of the Spartan mascot and its broader cultural implications remain at the forefront of community discussions, urging other districts to contemplate the significance of their own mascots. Meanwhile, Moss’s actions have sparked a conversation surrounding the importance of inclusivity in school identities and the historical impact on marginalized communities.