Connetquot residents sharply divided over proposed mascot settlement; legal, financial stakes debated

The Connetquot Central School District Board of Education heard more than three dozen speakers during a public comment session focused on a proposed settlement with the New York State Education Department over the district’s mascot, a dispute that centers on whether the schools should legally abandon the name “Thunderbirds” and accept a compromise that would permit use of “T‑Birds.”

Supporters of keeping “Thunderbirds” said the name and imagery reflect community tradition; opponents and several Native American speakers said the imagery is harmful and that the district should comply with state policy. District officials and a legal adviser outlined the settlement’s conditions, costs and legal implications and said the board had not yet voted on the agreement.

Why it matters: The settlement under discussion would require the district to withdraw ongoing litigation and accept terms from the state that, according to the district’s explanation to the public, would allow the schools to keep “T‑Birds” imagery but not the formal “Thunderbirds” name. Speakers warned that either choice could prompt further legal actions and affect funding or board governance if the state deems the district noncompliant.

Residents gave sharply contrasting accounts of community preferences and…