Two Suffolk County schools will have new nicknames and mascots in adherence to the state ban on schools using Native American names and symbols.
Half Hollow Hills East will change its nickname from the Thunderbirds to the Red Hawks. The symbol, nickname and mascot will all be changed to reflect the new name, but the school will keep its primary school colors of black and red. They plan to make the change when students return this fall.
Comsewogue High School will also have a change, but they will be the Warriors for one more year. The school will then become the Spartans beginning next year.
Schools in New York overseen by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) received the order to phase out Indigenous names and mascots last year. Because of the ban, 63 schools have changed names in New York with this being the first two schools from Suffolk to do so.
NYSED sent the ruling to all New York school districts saying “we need to ensure that district mascots, team names, and logos are non-discriminatory.”
The regulation included the team names, mascots, logos, school paperwork, team jerseys, and the sides of school buildings featuring images or words lifted from Native American culture.