It’s a significant pep rally happening right in Long Island.
The Massapequa community is rallying to keep the “Chiefs” nickname, with backing from President Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
“Kids connect with the Chiefs — and we all feel that way as a community,” said Mama Tarassi, a local advocate who has launched a foundation aimed at funding ongoing legal battles while selling “Save the Chiefs” shirts.
“The entire town has street names that relate to Native American culture,” Tarassi noted.
During a demonstration, supporters cheered enthusiastically, but soon after McMahon’s visit to the school, she cautioned the state to either reconsider the ban or face backlash from the Department of Justice.
“That’s how serious we are about this,” she asserted in the school gym. “You have Huguenots, we have Highlanders and Scots. Why is that never seen as offensive?”
McMahon’s remarks, along with legal actions from Massapequa, signaled an escalation that could broaden the ban on ethnic names deemed inappropriate by the state, including teams like the nearby Seaford Vikings, which some see as an unfair selective application against Native American names.
“That’s their workaround… I’ve shown that this regulation isn’t good for us,” Masapequa School Board Chairman Kelly Wachter told a local outlet.
Wachter explained that rebranding the school could cost about $1 million.
“Now you want to impose another unfunded mandate on districts that are already struggling, just to avoid giving Massapequa a win?”
Once Chief, Always Chief
This issue has made its way to Dolores Hurst’s home, a member of the class of 1961.
“I hope we will always be the Chieftains,” said Hurst, whose family has deep roots in the town, including a father and husband who both served as volunteer fire chiefs.
“It has meant so much to our town since the 1950s.” Now 81, Hurst finds it surprising that the term is targeted for removal from schools when it’s still present in various contexts elsewhere.
Trump’s support was evident, with shirts emblazoned with his quote “Long Live the Massapequa Chief!” flying off the shelves. “We got more traction than we anticipated, and that’s what we needed,” Hurst added.
Andy Kuzma, 73, expressed his local pride while dressed as Uncle Sam.
“This is ridiculous,” Kuzma stated from nearby Levittown. “Massapequa shouldn’t be scraping by… I’ve never seen anyone in town treat it lightly.”
Instead of erasing local history, Tarassi wants her foundation to introduce more Native American programming in the schools. This could help students better understand the town’s heritage.
“They want to connect and understand their roots,” she explained. “Removing one aspect from the district won’t erase the town’s identity.”
For Wachter, preserving tradition is paramount, even if it means risking her position.
“We want to keep this identity. We want to keep the chief,” she asserted. “If it costs us our jobs, so be it.”
