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3d ago

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Mississippi’s DEI Ban

The order halts implementation pending court review of a preliminary injunction at hearings in late July then early August.

FILE - An American flag flies at half-staff outside the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in downtown Jackson, Miss., on May 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
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Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate issued a temporary restraining order on July 21 to block enforcement of House Bill 1193 over concerns the law’s vague language suppresses protected speech.
  • House Bill 1193, effective July 1, bars public schools and universities from maintaining DEI offices, programs, trainings or activities and from promoting defined ‘divisive concepts.’
  • Plaintiffs including the Mississippi Educators Association, student organizations and historically Black colleges argue the law has already chilled academic freedom and forced cancellation of DEI initiatives.
  • Affidavits cited by the court describe administrators defunding LGBTQ+ support groups, removing diversity materials and prompting self-censorship in classrooms to avoid funding penalties.
  • The parties return to court for hearings on July 23 and August 3 to consider a preliminary injunction that could extend the block through ongoing litigation.