Latest news with #Connetquot
New York Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
LI school trustee accuses board of 'corruption' over Thunderbirds 'Mascotgate'
This bird doesn't fly. A Connetquot school board meeting turned contentious when one trustee accused her colleagues of trying to strong-arm a backdoor deal to modify their Thunderbirds team name, while also claiming members withheld critical information from the public. 'In my two years of service, I've never witnessed such blatant corruption carried out to serve personal and self-interested agendas,' board member Jacquelyn DiLorenzo shockingly said during a July meeting on Long Island. Advertisement 5 'In my two years of service, I've never witnessed such blatant corruption carried out to serve personal and self-interested agendas,' Jacquelyn DiLorenzo said. James Messerschmidt 'I cannot, in good conscience, make an irreversible decision that could strip future boards and future generations of their right to determine their own path,' she added. The district has been under fire from Albany over a 2023 statewide ban on Native American mascots and logos, which it initially fought in court along with other Long Island districts. Schools that are non-compliant with the ban risk loss of state funding and removal of board members. Advertisement 5 The district has been under fire from Albany over a 2023 statewide ban on Native American mascots and logos. James Messerschmidt More recently, however, the Connetquot district quietly communicated to the state Education Department that it had, since around 2020, been allocating at least $23 million for a logo change. Both entities decided in late June to propose to condense Thunderbirds into the already in-use T-Birds. The compromise came just days before Sec. of Education Linda McMahon announced a federal probe over the deal, which her office says may violate Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act. 5 The Connetquot district quietly communicated to the state Education Department that it had been allocating at least $23 million for a logo change. James Messerschmidt Advertisement However, Jaquelyn Napolitano-Furno, a six-year trustee who stepped down this month, is irate over the backroom deal, as T-Birds was initially considered an unacceptable replacement. 'Mascot-gate is unfolding in Connetquot because the School Board decided to defy the will of the people,' Napolitano-Furno told The Post Monday. 'For four years, [T-Birds] was derogatory, and now it's not derogatory,' she previously said. Advertisement DiLorenzo also pointed to 'multiple community surveys' that blatantly show taxpayer interest in continuing the fight rather than kowtowing to the mandate. Both DiLorenzo and Napolitano-Furno said that the school board was reluctant to publicize the data last month and blasted the lack of transparency over the multimillion-dollar issue. The board's reasoning, according to DiLorenzo, is 'for the sake of saving their own trustee seats.' Napolitano-Furno spoke to The Post about the issue in late June, adding that at least one survey showed 60% of residents wanted to continue the legal battle for Thunderbirds. 'Worse, [the board] ignored the rest of the survey suggestions … because it doesn't fit the narrative they've already decided on,' DiLorenzo added. 'They've asked for your input through surveys they never intended to honor — unless the results gave them political cover.' 5 However, Jaquelyn Napolitano-Furno, a six-year trustee who stepped down this month, is irate over the backroom deal. James Messerschmidt She also said that Napolitano-Furno, who remains an individual plaintiff in a lawsuit to retain Thunderbirds, 'has been relentlessly pressured to drop her case' by the board as a means to instead move forward with the T-Bird compromise. 'The pressure didn't stop, not even during her daughter's graduation,' said DiLorenzo, who is also personally in favor of keeping the Thunderbirds. Advertisement Napolitano-Furno, who spoke at the July meeting, was informed that an emergency session would have been held in June to approve the deal — outside of public view — had she changed her position. 5 The board's reasoning, according to DiLorenzo, is 'for the sake of saving their own trustee seats.' James Messerschmidt 'It's disgraceful and sad to see Connetquot blatantly violate Title VI,' said Napolitano-Furno's attorney, Oliver Roberts. Advertisement DiLorenzo, who said she fought tooth and nail to have the board release survey information, also firmly believes that the public must be further involved. 'If change ever becomes unavoidable, it should be done with full community involvement,' she said. 'Not through backdoor assumptions.'
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Long Island school district slapped with federal probe over plan to drop Native American team name
The federal government is launching a probe into a Long Island school district's attempts to rebrand its sports team to comply with New York State's Native American logo ban. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the feds will probe Connetquot school district after it was revealed officials have been quietly working out a deal with the state to remove its Thunderbirds name. 'New York's patronizing attitude toward Native Americans must end,' McMahon said. 'We will continue to support the Native American community and ensure their heritage is equally protected under the law.' Advertisement 3 Connetquot High School is set to receive a federal probe over a potential plan to drop their Native American team name. James Messerschmidt The Trump administration has blasted the ban as discriminatory, in part because it singles out Native American imagery on logos and in sports team names. McMahon told Connetquot its efforts to cut a deal to rebrand as 'T-Birds' could be a violation of Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act. Connetquot had sued to keep the use of Thunderbirds in defiance of the state Board of Regents' ban, which was set in 2023 but is still going into effect. Advertisement The school district has allocated a jaw-dropping $23 million to phase out Thunderbirds – name shared with a sports car, an Air Force squadron and a Canadian Hockey League team. Both the Suffolk County district and the state Education Department had been silently negotiating a deal to contract Thunderbirds to 'T-Birds' — a phrase already used at the schools — as opposed to finding a new team name in late June. 3 Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon announced the probe on Connetquot's school district. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY via Imagn Images That was a turnaround after the state had previously said 'T-Birds' was not an acceptable alternative, according to a longtime Connetquot school board member. Advertisement 'Last month, they wouldn't allow it…They would not allow T-Birds or any derivative, not even Thunder,' Jaclyn Napolitano-Furno, whose time on the board since 2019 ended in July, previously told The Post. McMahon was called on by President Trump and toured Massapequa High School in May. There, the team name of the Chiefs had come under siege by the ban — one that can result in state funding cuts and removal of local board members. She criticized that only Native American team names were under scrutiny, whereas others like the Dutchmen or Huguenots were perfectly acceptable in the eyes of the state. 'The Department of Education has been clear with the state of New York: it is neither legal nor right to prohibit Native American mascots and logos while celebrating European and other cultural imagery in schools,' McMahon added. Advertisement 'During my recent visit to New York, many individuals in the Native American community express their deep pride in their heritage and local mascots. Images like the Thunderbirds and Chiefs are seen as symbols of strength, honor, and identity – not of disrespect.' 3 Connetquot High School sued to keep their team name, the Thunderbirds, in defiance of the state Board of Regents' ban, set in 2023. James Messerschmidt The Native American Guardians Association, which had a handful of its nearly 85,000 nationwide members join McMahon on stage at Massapequa High School, also filed a preliminary injunction against the ban and the Board of Regents last week. 'My clients are tired of it. They're tired of people pretending to speak for the Native American population — and they're tired of people trying to erase their history. It's unconstitutional, and we're not gonna put up with it,' NAGA attorney Chap Petersen told The Post last week. 'It's not even a state law. It's an ordinance,' he said, adding 'What they're doing is they're trying to erase history…a key piece of American culture.' Petersen also agreed that the terms being scrutinized have no offensive intent. 'It could be as innocuous as Thunderbirds, and as a result, you could lose your school funding…I just think that people have had it with this.'
New York Post
30-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Long Island district's Thunderbirds may rebrand as NY seems to buckle on Native American logo ban: ‘Now it's not derogatory'
A Long Island school district may get to keep a shortened version of its 'Thunderbirds' team name that New York State seemed poised to shoot down under its Native American logo ban. Connetquot's team could rebrand as the 'T-Birds' under a proposed deal with the state Board of Regents, which previously had the shortened moniker on a list of banned phrases because it had 'vestiges' of the full name. 6 Connetquot's team could rebrand as the 'T-Birds' under a proposed deal with the state Board of Regents. James Messerschmidt Advertisement 'Last month they wouldn't allow it…They would not allow T-Birds or any derivative, not even Thunder,' fumed school board trustee Jaclyn Napolitano-Furno who is against a compromise. 'For four years, it was derogatory, and now it's not derogatory,' said Napolitano-Furno, a 1996 grad of the district. The state education department would accept the shortened name in exchange for Connetquot dropping ongoing legal action against the state logo ban, which was enacted in 2023, according to documents reviewed by The Post. Advertisement 6 'For four years, it was derogatory, and now it's not derogatory,' said Napolitano-Furno, a 1996 grad of the district. James Messerschmidt The ban could result in the loss of state funding and the dismissal of non-compliant school board members across New York after June 30. Connetquot, which already uses 'T-Birds' in part, has been fighting in court alongside other districts such as Massapequa, where officials are trying to preserve the name and logo of the Chiefs. The fight against the ban has gotten a boost from President Trump, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the Department of Justice with threats that the state's policy may be dissolved because it violated federal policies. Advertisement 'Now, all of a sudden, as a last-ditch effort, the state is willing to try to appease and get people to sign off,' Napolitano-Furno said, adding that a recent poll showed 60% of residents want to keep fighting for the full Thunderbirds name. 6 The ban could result in the loss of state funding and the dismissal of non-compliant school board members across New York after June 30. James Messerschmidt During litigation, the district, which had been granted an extension from the June 30 deadline, had silently communicated to New York that it had allocated more than $23 million to replace its logo as well. 'It doesn't make sense that we would shift when there's so much momentum to move forward, especially with the Department of Justice getting involved,' added Napolitano-Furno, an individual plaintiff in the lawsuit who has two kids in Connetquot High School this year. Advertisement The local mom, whose term ends at the end of June, added that she has defied board pressure to sign off on the compromise, as it needs her legal support to move forward. 'It is really overreach by the state of New York. At some point, somebody's got to put their feet down, dig their heels in and say enough is enough,' Napolitano-Furno, a 47-year-old police officer in Nassau County, said of the 'shady deal' kept away from public input. 'There are so many more beneficial educational items we could be putting money towards…For years, we've been the Thunderbirds. It was never an issue. We go to the beach, we watch the Thunderbird Air Force squad — that's not an issue.' However, Napolitano-Furno can be excluded from a new arrangement, according to her attorney, Oliver Roberts, who is also representing Massapequa. He added that a new deal could bring further legal action against both the board and the district from the livid community member. 6 Connetquot, which already uses 'T-Birds' in part, has been fighting in court alongside other districts such as Massapequa. James Messerschmidt 'It's very sad and disgraceful that the state is now colluding with local school boards in shady quid pro quo deals that sell out local communities,' said Roberts, who added that he and his client have no intention of backing out in court. The news also comes on the heels of the Shinnecock Nation asking the town of Southampton to remove its seal from inside a government building over disputes regarding the tribe's construction of a gas station, Dan's Papers reported. Advertisement 6 During litigation, the district had silently communicated to New York that it had allocated more than $23 million to replace its logo. James Messerschmidt Opposite that, however, the Native American Guardians Association — a group that joined McMahon in Massapequa when she announced that New York's decision to change only Native American team names was a civil rights violation — is looking to take further action in court to increase indigenous representation. NAGA counsel Chap Petersen said the group 'is evaluating all legal options against New York schools that erase and discriminate against Native Americans through enforcement of this unconstitutional regulation.' 6 The news also comes on the heels of the Shinnecock Nation asking the town of Southampton to remove its seal from inside a government building. James Messerschmidt Advertisement Meanwhile, Napolitano-Furno said the logo was part of a speech she gave at the high school graduation this year. The Connetquot valedictorian also delivered 'a speech and a half' on it, the school board member said. 'It was really a powerful moment,' she said. 'Thunderbirds means power, it means strength, and we honor it. The audience went wild.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LI school to dish out $23M to replace its ‘Thunderbirds' logo due to statewide ban — despite lawsuit to keep it
A school district on Long Island estimates it'll spend a ludicrous $23 million to erase its 'Thunderbirds' team name — as it's forced to comply with a state ban on Native American logos and imagery. Connetquot, whose baseball team recently won the Suffolk County championship, has been in quiet communication with the state of New York and expects to entirely phase out its longtime moniker by March of next year, according to documents obtained by The Post. 'The District has invested significant funds in larger-scale athletic costs at the high school and middle schools without the Thunderbirds name or imagery,' Superintendent Joseph Centamore wrote to Dave Frank, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Education. 'These costs included the replacement of turf fields, indoor gym floors and equipment, and other fixtures, as well as repainting projects throughout the schools totaling $23,620,000,' he said in the letter, dated May 6. Connetquot will also have to spend 'an additional $323,470.42' on 'scorers' tables, cheer equipment, wall pads, scoreboards, additional uniforms, and certain banners and signage.' The district declined to comment. The Thunderbirds, which use no relevant imagery, shares its name with a Canadian Hockey League team based outside Seattle and an Air Force demonstration squadron that performs at Jones Beach. The district has been fighting in court since 2023 with fellow Native American-named districts on Long Island, including Massapequa, Wantagh and Wyandanch. However, a chief justice dismissed the suit in March, but only Massapequa amended its complaint to keep the fight going. President Trump intervened in April, declaring 'LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!' and ordered Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to investigate the issue at a national level. Despite the presidential support, Centamore's recent letter requested an extension beyond the June 30 deadline set by the Board of Regents to comply with the state ban. He added that the school has been rebranding for the past five years and 'has completed at least 75% of the necessary work for compliance.' The district was granted a year's extension last week. On paper, Wantagh is also backing off and allocated a staggering $418,000 'for the purpose of working on mascot-related projects,' according to a deadline extension request Superintendent John C. McNamara sent to Frank on April 24. The true cost will be closer to $700,000 for Wantagh, which has 2,850 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, according to a representative. 'Simultaneously, the district remains committed to preserving our 'Warrior' name,' the school board wrote in a recent community letter after their 2026 extension was recently approved. 'The extension granted to our district is significant as it allows us more time not only for thoughtful implementation if needed, but also for the legal proceedings concerning our appeal to reach a resolution.' The fight continues for Massapequa and its Chiefs team, with McMahon recently pledging federal intervention and calling the ban a civil rights issue because it singles out Native American culture. Massapequa is expecting to have to pay roughly $1 million if it's forced to rebrand as part of the ban, which threatened schools by saying those who don't comply would face loss of state funding and other sanctions. The district's homegrown Harvard lawyer, one-time Chief Oliver Roberts, is now sending a letter to New York's Indigenous Mascot Advisory Group, demanding an extension for Massapequa. Roberts wrote that the state is 'compelled to extend its enforcement deadlines' on behalf of McMahon's federal findings that fall under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. 'The District cannot, under any circumstances, lawfully engage in discriminatory conduct against Indigenous individuals, groups, students, employees, or residents, 'he wrote. 'Nor can it erase or suppress Indigenous cultural identity at the direction of the Regents,' Roberts added, signing the letter, 'Once a Chief, always a Chief.' Frank responded last week to the federal government's discriminatory findings — and threat to involve the Justice Department — in a letter that suggests expanding the ban to all ethnic team names the state deems offensive. 'That's their workaround … we've demonstrated that this regulation was not a good idea,' Massapequa School Board President Kerry Wachter told The Post at a 'Save The Chiefs' rally Saturday. 'Now you're wanting to put another unfunded mandate on top of all these districts who are just barely making it, just to not give Massapequa the win?'
New York Post
10-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
LI school to dish out $23M to replace its ‘Thunderbirds' logo due to statewide ban — despite lawsuit to keep it
A school district on Long Island estimates it'll spend a ludicrous $23 million to erase its 'Thunderbirds' team name — as it's forced to comply with a state ban on Native American logos and imagery. Connetquot, whose baseball team recently won the Suffolk County championship, has been in quiet communication with the state of New York and expects to entirely phase out its longtime moniker by March of next year, according to documents obtained by The Post. 'The District has invested significant funds in larger-scale athletic costs at the high school and middle schools without the Thunderbirds name or imagery,' Superintendent Joseph Centamore wrote to Dave Frank, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Education. Advertisement 3 Connetquot High School is spending $23 million to phase out its Native American 'Thunderbirds' team name — despite suing for years to keep it. 'These costs included the replacement of turf fields, indoor gym floors and equipment, and other fixtures, as well as repainting projects throughout the schools totaling $23,620,000,' he said in the letter, dated May 6. Connetquot will also have to spend 'an additional $323,470.42' on 'scorers' tables, cheer equipment, wall pads, scoreboards, additional uniforms, and certain banners and signage.' Advertisement The district declined to comment. The Thunderbirds, which use no relevant imagery, shares its name with a Canadian Hockey League team based outside Seattle and an Air Force demonstration squadron that performs at Jones Beach. The district has been fighting in court since 2023 with fellow Native American-named districts on Long Island, including Massapequa, Wantagh and Wyandanch. Advertisement However, a chief justice dismissed the suit in March, but only Massapequa amended its complaint to keep the fight going. President Trump intervened in April, declaring 'LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!' and ordered Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to investigate the issue at a national level. Despite the presidential support, Centamore's recent letter requested an extension beyond the June 30 deadline set by the Board of Regents to comply with the state ban. He added that the school has been rebranding for the past five years and 'has completed at least 75% of the necessary work for compliance.' Advertisement The district was granted a year's extension last week. On paper, Wantagh is also backing off and allocated a staggering $418,000 'for the purpose of working on mascot-related projects,' according to a deadline extension request Superintendent John C. McNamara sent to Frank on April 24. 3 Wantagh High School is also rebranding as they have allocated $418,000 'for the purpose of working on mascot-related projects,' according to a deadline extension request from Superintendent John C. McNamara. Dennis A. Clark The true cost will be closer to $700,000 for Wantagh, which has 2,850 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, according to a representative. 'Simultaneously, the district remains committed to preserving our 'Warrior' name,' McNamara and his board wrote in a recent community letter after their 2026 extension was recently approved. 'The extension granted to our district is significant as it allows us more time not only for thoughtful implementation if needed, but also for the legal proceedings concerning our appeal to reach a resolution.' Chief concern The fight continues for Massapequa and its Chiefs team, with McMahon recently pledging federal intervention and calling the ban a civil rights issue because it singles out Native American culture. Advertisement Massapequa is expecting to have to pay roughly $1 million if it's forced to rebrand as part of the ban, which threatened schools by saying those who don't comply would face loss of state funding and other sanctions. The district's homegrown Harvard lawyer, one-time Chief Oliver Roberts, is now sending a letter to New York's Indigenous Mascot Advisory Group, demanding an extension for Massapequa. Roberts wrote that the state is 'compelled to extend its enforcement deadlines' on behalf of McMahon's federal findings that fall under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. 3 Massapequa High School continues to fight to keep their name as they would have to pay roughly $1 million if it were forced to rebrand as part of the ban. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement 'The District cannot, under any circumstances, lawfully engage in discriminatory conduct against Indigenous individuals, groups, students, employees, or residents, 'he wrote. 'Nor can it erase or suppress Indigenous cultural identity at the direction of the Regents,' Roberts added, signing the letter, 'Once a Chief, always a Chief.' Frank responded last week to the federal government's discriminatory findings — and threat to involve the Justice Department — in a letter that suggests expanding the ban to all ethnic team names the state deems offensive. Advertisement 'That's their workaround … we've demonstrated that this regulation was not a good idea,' Massapequa School Board President Kerry Wachter told The Post at a 'Save The Chiefs' rally Saturday. 'Now you're wanting to put another unfunded mandate on top of all these districts who are just barely making it, just to not give Massapequa the win?'
