The Brian Lehrer Show Trump Weighs in on Native American Mascots
Apr 28, 2025
Darwin Yanes, an education reporter at Newsday, shares insights into the heated debate over Native American mascots in Long Island schools. Joined by John Kane, a Mohawk activist and host of ‘Let's Talk Native,’ they discuss President Trump's intervention in favor of the Massapequa School District's mascots. The conversation reveals the tension between local traditions and the call for cultural respect, highlighting mixed community responses, legal challenges, and the broader implications of these symbols in education.
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Trump Defends Massapequa Mascots
- The Massapequa school district's use of Native American mascots is legally contested under new NY state guidelines banning such mascots.
- President Trump has intervened, urging the U.S. Secretary of Education to defend the district's right to keep the mascot, challenging state authority.
Federal-State Funding Battle Ensues
- The federal Education Department is investigating if NY state's funding threat against districts refusing mascot changes is legal.
- This escalates the battle into a funding standoff between state and federal authorities.
Native Groups Oppose Mascots
- Native activist John Kane explains mascots use stereotypical, historically inaccurate Native imagery without honoring actual communities.
- Legitimate Native organizations overwhelmingly oppose such mascots as offensive and dismissing real Native experiences.