New York school violated civil rights law by changing name from ‘Thunderbirds’ to ‘T-Birds,’ US says

Native Americans Mascot Fight - (AP)

A New York school district is “erasing its Native American heritage” and violating civil rights law by changing its team name from the “Thunderbirds” to the “T-Birds,” federal education officials say.

The U.S. Department of Education said Thursday that the Connetquot Central School District can voluntarily resolve the federal law violation by restoring the “rightful” Thunderbirds’ name.