The New York State Education Department (SED) plans to stop enforcing a ban on school employees wearing clothing with Native American-inspired logos, shifting that decision to local districts across the state.

The SED said it will recommend that the Board of Regents "leave decisions regarding employee clothing, including apparel displaying offensive Indigenous imagery, to local school districts," according to a statement reported by News 12 Westchester on Oct. 22.

The partial rollback does not undo the broader 2023 mandate requiring schools to retire Native American team names, mascots and logos.

Schools that kept such imagery risked losing state funding under that rule. Both Mahopac and Roy C. Ketcham high schools in the Hudson Valley changed their nicknames from "Indians" in 2023 after the state issued the order.

The change is not yet final. The New York Post, which first reported the planned rollback on Oct. 19, cited court documents showing the Board of Regents plans to formally announce the partial repeal at a November meeting. A final vote is expected in February.

SED spokesperson JP O'Hare confirmed the recommendation to the Post. O'Hare noted that legal challenges from Long Island school boards against the broader ban have been unsuccessful.

The move drew praise from Massapequa's school district on Long Island, which has fought the ban in court to keep its Chiefs name and logo. Massapequa Board of Education President Kerry Wachter called the rollback a "huge victory" in comments to the Post. Legal arguments in Massapequa's case are set to begin Nov. 4.

Massapequa estimated it would cost nearly $1 million to rebrand, according to the Post. Non-compliant schools have risked losing state funds.

None of the three school districts in the Bronxville Beacon's coverage area — Bronxville, Scarsdale and Eastchester — are known to use Native American-derived team names or imagery. Bronxville recently updated its district logos and brand guidelines. No public statements from any of the three districts regarding the SED's policy shift have appeared as of publication.

The rule change still gives every district in New York new authority over employee attire at school events. Art Perez, a Mahopac resident, told News 12 the approach felt incomplete.

"At what point do you just say enough is enough, it's all yes or all no?" Perez said.

The Board of Regents' final vote is expected in February.