LI School District Faces Funding Cuts Over Mascot Name Change

Feb 2, 2026

1 min

Education Professor Alan Singer was interviewed by WCBS-TV News about the Connetquot School District on Long Island school being threatened with funding cuts if it does not reinstate its old mascot name, the Thunderbirds. The name change to T-Birds was made in 2022 to comply with a state ruling that mascot names like “Chiefs” and “Warriors” are demeaning and offensive to Native Americans. The U.S. Department of Education has ruled that these changes are a violation of federal law.

Dr. Singer said Connetquot is “caught in the crossfire with the Trump administration, which is at war with blue states and diversity,” and the district’s mascot is part of a much larger political fight.

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Alan J. Singer

Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology

Alan Singer specializes in social studies education and United States history.

Social Studies EducationUnited States HistoryHistory of SlaveryTeaching race. ethnicity and class

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