Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody are fighting an attempt to block a state law and regulations that limit the way race-related issues can be taught in public schools and in workplace training. In a court document filed last week, the lawyers argued Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker should reject a request for a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed in April, after Governor DeSantis signed the controversial law. Judge Walker is scheduled to hold a hearing June 21 on the issue. Plaintiffs allege that the law and regulations violate First Amendment rights, however lawyers for Governor DeSantis and Moody disputed that the restrictions violate speech rights in schools and workplaces.

Governor DeSantis this year made a priority of passing the law, which he dubbed the “Stop Wrongs Against our Kids and Employees Act,” or Stop WOKE Act. It came after the State Board of Education last year passed regulations that included banning the use of critical race theory, which is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American society and institutions. The law, which is scheduled to take effect July 1, lists a series of race related concepts that would constitute discrimination if taught in classrooms or in required workplace training programs.