A prominent attorney has stepped into the fray to uphold the name of the Masapequa chief and challenge the state’s prohibition on Native American imagery in schools.
Oliver Roberts, who hails from Masapequa and currently practices in Nashville, Tennessee, has been actively involved in the legal efforts to overturn a ban on the Imperial State’s logo. Having graduated from Harvard Law, he’s eager to fight for his hometown’s identity.
“Masapequa is just an incredible place with amazing people. I really feel it’s worth fighting for,” said Roberts, who used to play soccer and basketball in the local school system.
“This whole situation feels like an attack on towns that genuinely care about their traditions,” added Roberts, a 29-year-old constitutional lawyer with a strong track record in court.
Roberts became involved after the Massapequa School District launched a lawsuit against the state legislature over the 2023 ban.
A legal dispute initially faced dismissal in March, but the town sought assistance from President Trump, who sent Education Secretary Linda McMahon to advocate for the South Shore community.
“Long live the chiefs of Masapequa!” Trump proclaimed in April.
Motivated by a sense of duty, Roberts reached out to former school board member Gary Bardinger, who had played for the Kansas City Chiefs, asking, “How can I help?”
For weeks, Roberts worked pro bono to amend the lawsuit ahead of a deadline in June.
Now, he’s back in the game, representing the chiefs in court once more.
In May, he and the school district sent another letter to McMahon pushing for more intervention, including referrals to the U.S. Department of Justice and potential federal funding cuts against New York.
McMahon recently visited the school.
She questioned, “We’ve got the Huguenots and the Highlanders; why is this considered racist?”
McMahon expressed that if New York doesn’t back down voluntarily, she’ll pursue legal action against the DOJ for breaching Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Roberts concurs with McMahon’s viewpoint.
“It’s obvious that this regulation targets one group based on race and origin, while others aren’t being similarly scrutinized,” he observed.
Supreme Court
The newly filed lawsuit addresses federal laws concerning congressional powers over interstate commerce with Native American tribes.
Masapequa has also teamed up with the Native American Guardians Association to allow the use of the chief’s portrait after the 2023 ban.
Roberts noted the arbitrary nature of the 2023 cutoff, arguing it infringes on Indigenous rights.
Having played as a chief at both Burner Middle School and Unqua Elementary, Roberts believes that changing the name would negatively impact the youth in Masapequa.
“It’s something we’ve always taken pride in… The name was part of our identity, and we represented it on our jerseys,” he remarked.
With a history of winning, he feels that the name fosters a culture of success.
Roberts plans to carry that legacy into the upcoming court proceedings, which are anticipated to unfold in July.
“I’m confident we’ll prevail in this matter for Masapequa,” he concluded.
