The Amityville School District has voted to sue the Board of Regents after the state voted to ban Native American names and mascots from school districts. Everything from the chairs to tables required the removal of the Native American imagery, but the name ‘’Warriors’’ has lasted the test of time until this law was passed. Other districts on Long Island like Massapequa, Wantagh, Wyandanch, and Connetquot, have also sued in response to this new ruling, claiming that such a measure is unconstitutional. The fight to keep our name has its supporters and detractors, but it’s happening nonetheless.
Some students are in agreement with the District choosing to exercise its rights to sue the Board of Regents. However, some students feel as though it may not be entirely worth the effort as it would not be displeasing to return to the previous “Amityville Tide” logo. In fact, many teachers reminisce about the old slogans AMHS used to rep before they adopted the “Warriors” identity. We understand that featuring a Native American image such as the Warrior head can be perceived as insensitive and even derogatory in our modern day, considering the history and meanings connected to that imagery.
Nevertheless, it’s understandable why there is such a push back from our district, and others who are like-minded, as changing the logos of all school merch, sports gear and clothes, and any building accessories with the word “Warriors” will be very costly and time consuming.
It seems as society progresses and claims to have a deeper understanding of racism, equality, and perspectives, it becomes increasingly difficult to draw the lines on simple things such as school logos. The Amityville School District has already agreed to cease the promotion of its Warrior-head logo, but people stand firm with the name “Warriors” for many reasons. Aside from the implied desire to avoid more unnecessary spending, it can be argued that the term “warriors” is not inherently racist, nor has any connotation towards the Native American peoples. There are many types of warriors such as foot soldiers, king warlords, conquerors, and military tacticians all through history and across many different people groups.
Why can’t our name be referring to the Ancient Greek warriors, or the 13th-century Mongolian warriors? What about the African warriors of the Mali Empire, or Queen Nzinja and her warriors of Ndongo? Maybe the name can be a symbol of admiration for the more than 1.3 million American soldiers who have died fighting for this country. In fact, does the title “warrior” have to reference anything at all? Why can’t it represent us, our strong athletes and brave mindsets, as we face the day-to-day challenges of life, education, competition, and path to success?
