Wantagh will remain the Warriors for at least one more year after the district was granted an additional year-long extension to comply with the state’s policy banning Native American mascots.
The district’s board of education wrote in a Feb. 10 letter that the extension “ensures that our students will continue to compete and learn under the Warrior name for the upcoming academic years while we continue our advocacy.”
“Our commitment to preserving the ‘Warrior’ name remains steadfast,” the board added.
The state Board of Regents voted unanimously in April 2023 to ban Native American mascots, logos and team names in public schools, with the policy taking effect the following month. School districts were required to rebrand and eliminate Indigenous references by the end of the 2024-25 school year. Districts that failed to comply risked losing state aid but could apply for an extension if they demonstrated progress toward compliance.
Wantagh received a one-year extension in June 2025, moving the deadline to June 30 of this year.
Around that time, the U.S. Department of Education referred an investigation to the New York State Education Department and the Board of Regents. The federal Education Department described the mascot policy as an “unlawful attempt to ban mascots and logos that celebrate Native American history” when it announced on June 17, 2025 that the Department of Justice would be involved.
State education officials, however, have said the policy is intended to eliminate Native American imagery they consider culturally insensitive.
The district is litigating a case in state court to preserve what officials called its “right to maintain its long-standing traditions and name.” At the same time, the board said it is pursuing an appeal in federal court and monitoring national developments, including findings from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
In its Feb. 10 letter, the board wrote that the “Warrior identity is woven into the fabric of the Wantagh community” and vowed to “continue to advocate for our traditions.”
