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The
PORT TIMES RECORD P O R T J E F F E R S O N • B E L L E T E R R E • P O R T J E F F E R S O N S TAT I O N • T E R R Y V I L L E
Vol. 36, No. 10
January 26, 2023
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What’s Inside New state mascot policy threatens
aid to Comsewogue School District
PJS/T civic association hosts monthly meeting A3 Policymakers respond to Gov. Hochul’s housing proposal A4
County officials clash over Bus Safety Program A5 Two prolific scorers go head-to-head in Warriors-Mustangs contest A10-11
PRIME TIMES For those who weren’t born yesterday
Inside
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA© • JANUARY 26, 2023
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BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM
The New York State Education Department is cracking down on Native American mascots in schools, and Comsewogue School District is now in its sights. In a Nov. 17 letter sent out to districts across the state, NYSED senior deputy commissioner James Baldwin alerted school administrators that using Native American mascots, team names or imagery is prohibited “without current approval from a recognized tribe.” Districts failing to meet these standards, Baldwin wrote, “may be in willful violation of the Dignity [for All Students] Act.” The penalty for violators could “include the removal of school officers and the withdrawal of state aid.” Facing the threat of losing state aid, CSD officials will have to work against the clock. NYSED is placing a deadline on school districts, ordering them to retire these mascots before the end of the 2022-23 school year. The Education Department is developing new regulations to clarify its policy, with a release date anticipated sometime in April. Until then, New York school districts remain in limbo. Jennifer Quinn, superintendent of schools at Comsewogue School District, said the district would not make any policy determinations until NYSED releases its detailed guidelines. “There are so many question marks,” she said. “Until we see the actual regulations, we’re kind of playing a guessing game.” While school districts statewide undergo significant changes in the coming months, certain characteristics may set Comsewogue apart from the pack. STORY CONTINUED ON A12-13
Graphic from CSD website
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