Massapequa High School students turned a regular school day into a high-profile art project, splashing a massive blue and gold mural across the side of a shopping center wall next to campus. The piece features a stylized chief portrait and the slogan "Once a Chief, Always a Chief." The artwork began as the winning entry in a student design contest, yet it now doubles as a very public statement in the district's long and bitter fight over its mascot. Visible from Merrick Road, the mural has kicked the simmering debate over identity, state law and the price of rebranding right back into the spotlight.
Student Design On A Private Wall
District officials say the mural was chosen by student vote and follows a longstanding tradition of painting that particular wall, which sits off school property and has hosted class murals for years. The wall is part of a building that includes a nearby bagel shop, and the latest piece went up under district supervision. As ABC7 reported, students who worked on the project described it as a tribute to Massapequa's athletic culture and proud alumni base.
Where The Legal Fight Stands
The mural arrives in the middle of a heated legal showdown with Albany. In 2023, the New York State Board of Regents ordered public schools to stop using Indigenous-themed mascots, a move that put Massapequa's Chiefs identity under direct threat. The district sued, but a federal judge tossed that challenge in March 2025, according to the Associated Press. District leaders have not backed off and have signaled they intend to keep pursuing appeals and other legal avenues.
Amended Complaint And Federal Review
Following the dismissal, Massapequa filed an amended complaint in May 2025 and pointed to a new alliance as part of its strategy. The district says it has an agreement with the Native American Guardians Association to support continued use of the Chiefs name, according to the Long Island Press. The same report notes that federal civil-rights officials are also now in the mix. The U.S. Department of Education's civil-rights office opened a review after a complaint was filed on the district's behalf. In that context, the district doubled down on its slogan, stating, "When we say 'Once a Chief, always a Chief,' we mean it."
National Attention And The Price Tag
The local tug-of-war has drawn national cameras as well as lawyers. Former President Donald Trump publicly backed the town's push to keep the mascot and urged his education secretary to get involved, local outlets reported. The cost question looms large too. NBC New York reported that district officials estimate a full rebrand could run around $1 million. At the same time, state regulators have warned that districts that ignore the mascot ban could see their state aid put at risk.
What Residents And Opponents Say
On the ground in Massapequa, plenty of students, alumni and residents see the mural as a love letter to local history rather than a legal provocation. "Once a Chief, always a Chief," one student told CBS New York while paint was still drying on the wall. Native scholars and tribal leaders see something very different. They argue that such imagery is stereotypical and harmful to Indigenous communities, the core rationale behind Albany's policy and the ongoing federal civil-rights review.
Legal Implications
Behind the big blue and gold portrait sit some heavy legal questions. Massapequa is pressing claims tied to local tradition and the First Amendment while federal and state officials weigh civil-rights concerns and regulatory power. The outcome of the district's amended complaint, along with whatever the Department of Education's review decides, will determine whether the mural is allowed to remain as is or becomes the next thing to be painted over. For now, the wall stands as a very large reminder that New York's mascot fight is about identity and money as much as it is about statutes and court orders.
