Oklahoma suit over critical race theory law pending after 2.5 years

Forasecondtimesincetheyfiledtheirlawsuitmorethan2½yearsago,plaintiffsinacasechallenginganOklahomalawagainst“criticalracetheory”haveaskedafederaljudgetomovealongtheproceedings. ThecaseconcernsHouseBill1775,whichbanstheteachingofcertainracialandgendertopicsinOklahomaclassrooms.Gov.KevinStittsignedthebillintolawinMay2021andthefederallawsuitfollowedthatOctober.ThechallengeclaimsthelawviolatestheFirstandFourteenthamendmentstotheU.S.ConstitutionbystiflingspeechanddiscriminatingagainstminorityandLGBTQ+students. AfterthelatestrequestbyattorneysfortheBlackEmergencyResponseTeamandotherplaintiffs,madeinacourtfilingonFriday,U.S.DistrictJudgeCharlesGoodwin–whoheardoralargumentsinthecaseonDec.4–immediatelyscheduledastatusconference,tobeheldviatelephoneonJune7.Inathree-paragraphorder,alsoissuedFriday,Goodwintoldpartiesinthecasetoadvisehiscourtroomdeputy“ofthetelephonenumberatwhichtheyaretobecontacted.” Thepl