Mississippi DEI ban can proceed after appeals court reversal

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 22:32 · Archive

The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated a lower-court ruling that blocked portions of Mississippi's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion practices in public schools.

The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated a lower-court ruling blocking portions of Mississippi's diversity, equity and inclusion ban from being enforced. The law, passed in April 2025, prevents public schools from requiring diversity training and maintaining DEI-related programmes, courses and offices. It also bans discussion of specified 'divisive concepts' related to race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity and national origin. Public schools that violate the law could lose state funding.

The court provided clarity on the law's scope, clarifying that it does not apply to scholarly activities, student activities and groups, or creative engagements. The court also rejected claims that the law would ban discussions of civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Ku Klux Klan, the Fourteenth Amendment, Juneteenth and literary works such as 'Of Mice and Men'.

A group of educators, students, parents and activists is challenging the law, alleging it violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The plaintiffs have several weeks to file a petition for rehearing. The law would take effect seven days after the petition deadline passes or if a petition is denied. The Fifth Circuit also ordered that the case be reassigned to a different district court judge after the original judge's temporary restraining order contained artificial intelligence hallucinations.

How it is being reported

• Mississippi DEI ban can go into full effect after Fifth Circuit reversalThe U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower-court ruling that prevented portions of a Mississippi ban on diversity, equity and inclusion from being enforced.Clickorlando · 23 Oct, 22:13
• Mississippi DEI ban can go into full effect after Fifth Circuit reversalThe U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower-court ruling that prevented portions of a Mississippi ban on diversity, equity and inclusion from being enforced.News4Jax · 23 Oct, 22:13

In this story: Mississippi · U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals · Henry Wingate

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