Lawsuit Targets US State Of Oklahoma Ban On Race, Gender Talk In Schools - Advocacy Group

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2021) A lawsuit filed on behalf of students and educators challenges Oklahoma legislation that restricts public school teachers and students from discussing race and gender issues in classrooms, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said.

"The lawsuit argues HB 1775 not only chills students' and educators' First Amendment right to learn and talk about these issues, but it also prevents students from having an open and complete dialogue about American history - one that includes the experiences and viewpoints of all historically marginalized communities in this country," an ACLU press release said on Tuesday.

Oklahoma is one of eight states across the United States that have passed similar laws aimed at censoring discussions around race and gender in the classroom, and this is the first Federal lawsuit facially challenging one of these statewide bans, the release said.

The Oklahoma bill's lead authors in the state House and Senate declared the measure's intent was to prohibit conversations related to "implicit bias," "systemic racism" and "intersectionality," among other concepts, the release added.

The lawsuit argues the measure represents an unlawful restraint on freedom of expression by silencing students' and educators' speech through its vague and overbroad terms, according to the release.