A new Mississippi law that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge.
Local WJTV in Jackson reported that U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate approved a request for the action filed by state educators who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The ACLU of Mississippi said in a statement that the law was designed to impose the “preferred views” of state government, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, in a way that could harm students, parents, and educators.
“We are fighting to protect the constitutional rights of teachers and students to share ideas and to receive and exchange knowledge,” the ACLU said. “We look forward to our day in court.”
The Hill reported that Wingate wrote in his decision that “each day the statute remains unclarified, undefined, and under a threat of open interpretation, (it) exacerbates the suppression of protected speech.”
The plaintiffs said in their filing that the new law blocked free expression and some were forced to cancel DEI programs. The law, according to The Hill, prohibits the promotion of “divisive concepts” or programming that “increases awareness or understanding of race, sex, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin.”
The judge ruled that the law appeared to be unclear, which might lead to it being unevenly enforced. A full hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday.
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