JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A federal judge temporarily blocked a Mississippi law that prohibits diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices at public institutions.

On July 20, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate approved the request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against certain provisions of House Bill 1193. According to the court, a TRO is an emergency, short-term measure designed to preserve the status quo until a comprehensive hearing can be held.

The plaintiffs include the Mississippi Association of Educators (MAE), other organizations and faculty members at some of the state’s public universities.

The ACLU of Mississippi, which represents the plaintiffs, said in a statement that the law imposes the “preferred views” of Mississippi’s state government on students, educators and families, violating the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

“We are fighting to protect the constitutional rights of teachers and students to share ideas and to receive and exchange knowledge,” the statement said. “We look forward to our day in court.”

Wingate ordered that the TRO will remain in effect until the court renders its ruling on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction.

The law, which passed in April, bans offices, courses, trainings and programs relating to DEI, as well as a list of “divisive topics.” Educational institutions found to be in violation of the law could lose state funding.

In his ruling, Wingate cited instances where the law is already having an impact as part of his reason for siding with the plaintiffs.

Faculty members at Jackson State University have been instructed not to discuss gender theory or systemic racism, he wrote.

“Suppressing constitutional speech through vague prohibitions and the specter of financial retribution does not serve the public good — it undermines it,” the ruling reads.

The court ordered that the parties involved to appear at a hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction on July 23 at 9:30 a.m. The court expects to receive live testimony and to conduct an examination of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues raised.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.