New York school district hit with lawsuit over 'Spartans' mascot deemed symbol of 'White supremacy'

A Long Island, New York school district is facing a lawsuit from a father and local civil rights leader who claims the school district's new mascot is a symbol of White supremacy.

William King Moss III, Islip Town NAACP President, former mathematics teacher in Brentwood Union Free School District and father of two Brentwood students, filed the complaint against the district on March 26.

Moss's complaint accuses the district of selecting the "Spartans" as their new mascot, despite it being "racially problematic," claiming the ancient Greek warrior is a "symbol of hate" banned by state law. 

His complaint contends that in January 2024, the district began collecting ideas from the community for a new mascot through an online survey. The responses were narrowed down to six options, and the district said it selected the "Spartans" after this choice received the most votes.

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Moss argued that the other options chosen, "Green Machine," "Bears," "Owls," "Bulldogs," and "Eagles," were not members of an "identifiable or generally perceived protected class," like the Spartans.

"Spartans are of the identifiable and generally perceived protected classes of White Non-Hispanic in race, White in color, Greek in National Origin, and Spartan or Greek in Ethnicity," the complaint states.

Moss's lawsuit questions the survey's methodology and argues that the district did not act in a democratic manner in selecting the mascot, which was meant to replace its old Native American-themed one that had been banned.

The complaint states that Moss asked the district to conduct another vote. During meetings with the Board of Education last November, Moss warned the district that selecting a mascot that's based on race would prompt a lawsuit.

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The school board defended its decision to Moss, according to an alleged email sent by the school board in December. The board argued the team name was used by over a dozen school districts in New York and denied that Spartans implied any "particular ethnic group."

Moss says the Spartans are a "symbol of White supremacy," because it is well-known that they are known to be "White warriors" who conquered other people groups and "enslaved indigenous people called the Helots."

The complaint also accuses the logo of being a symbol of hate for female enlistment in the military because "Ancient Spartans did not allow females to be soldiers in the military."

Moss accuses Brentwood Schools of violating state and federal due process clauses in its team selection and violating the state and federal equal protection clauses by selecting a symbol of "White supremacy" and "male misogynists," among other grievances listed in the complaint.

Moss's complaint asks the district to pick a new mascot and cover attorney's costs.

Brentwood Schools declined to comment on the pending litigation to Fox News Digital. Moss did not immediately return a request for comment.

Superintendent of Schools Wanda Ortiz-Rivera said in a statement that the selection process was done in an inclusive manner with input from students, staff and the broader community and the Board of Education approved the resolution on November 21, 2024.

The district's previous team mascot was "The Indians." It was forced to pick a new mascot last April after a directive from the New York Education Department required school districts to stop using indigenous names, mascots and logos unless they have permission from tribal nations.

Schools that refused to comply with the rule by the end of the 2024-2025 school year were told they could face penalties, including the withholding of state aid.

On Tuesday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by four Long Island school districts challenging the state ban, The Long Island Press reported.