More and more Long Islanders feel the consequences of the state's leadership decisions on their town and recently Connetquot's school district felt just that.
The New York Post broke a story last week that the district estimates it will cost them nearly $23 million dollars to remove ‘Thunderbirds’ as their mascot.
The change comes form a New York State ban on the name and have forced schools to move to a less 'controversial' name and mascot.
This ruling was part of the state’s ban on Native American logos and imagery.
The Thunderbirds’ name doesn’t use images that depict Native Americans heritage and culture, but the ban included them anyway.
A local Connetquot father told me "When you walk into the school the signage of Thunderbirds is everywhere. We are all proud of the school and teams." Dan, as he asked to be called, went on to say "It's pretty appalling that the state and Hochul make a decision that affects the community and then pushes the cost onto the district. If they wanted to make the change why isn't the state paying for it? This is not what we any of us want or voted for, but we get no choice in the matter."
Connetquot's superintendent Joseph Centamore said, “The district has invested significant funds in larger-scale athletic costs at the high school and middle schools without the Thunderbirds name or imagery," He went on to estimate the cost will be over $23 million dollars to complete the changes.
The district is fighting this in court along with the other schools on the Island who were forced to make a change as well. Massapequa, Wantagh and Wyandanch all have been in court since 2023, but the cases were dismissed earlier this year.
Another local resident believes "we still can win in court, at least they can push for the state to chip in some money. Why do I have to pay for a change that I don't want to happen?"
He also expressed that the students are saddened by this because they feel like it will be a whole new school and a dying legacy.