House Bill 1193 was approved by the state legislature in April. It bans the teaching and promotion of DEI in classrooms and DEI-related hiring practices at public colleges and universities in The Magnolia State.
The measure was signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, in April. It is set to become state law July 1.
In a federal lawsuit challenging the law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi claims the measure violates the 1st Amendment and the 14th Amendment.
Mississippi Free Press, a liberal news outlet, reports there are numerous other plaintiffs in the lawsuit including a Mississippi teachers’ union; a community college librarian; the parent of public school students; and law students from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
The bill was authored by Rep. Joey Hood, a Republican, who has insisted the measure doesn’t restrict a person’s free speech but has language that protests it.
Rather, the Republican told fellow lawmakers, the legislation blocks colleges and universities from requiring an employee to embrace DEI-related beliefs in order to be hired or promoted.
Although that might sound far-fetched, the University of Michigan was requiring a signed “diversity statement” for hirings and promotions until thousands of faculty members pushed back, AFN previously reported.
A second state lawmaker, Rep. Randy Boyd, tells AFN he voted for the measure because he believes DEI promotes discrimination while claiming it promotes “equity” and “inclusion.”
“I don't believe in discriminating against anybody,” he stresses, “but if you don't have either one of these categories met, it causes you to discriminate against somebody."
