Arkansas vs. AP African American Studies: Federal Court Grants Motion to Dismiss Teachers’

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A federal court in Arkansas granted the state officials’ motion to dismiss teachers’ and the Arkansas NAACP conference’s equal protection claim over the “anti-indoctrination provision” of the state’s LEARNS act. The state revoked AP status from the African American Studies course, which the plaintiffs claimed was motivated by the sole purpose of preventing “left-wing indoctrination.” This reason does not run afoul of the equal protection clause because the desire to prevent political indoctrination “is not tantamount to a discriminatory intent or purpose to adversely impact African American students.” The groups brought due process vagueness claims that were not decided, as the court ordered additional briefing concerning issues of standing and mootness.