Legal challenge against anti-racist training receives support from over a dozen states

More than a dozen states filed amicus briefs in support of two educators who filed the first lawsuit in the United States against mandatory "anti-racism" training after a court ruled in favor of the school district and ordered the teachers to pay nearly $313,000 in legal fees. 

The 16 states led by Missouri and 20 organizations filed 11 amicus briefs to the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the educators, the Southeastern Legal Foundation, which is representing the educators, said Monday. 

The educators, Brooke Henderson and Jennifer Lumley, are appealing a federal district court decision that ordered them to pay six figures in legal fees to Springfield Public Schools after they challenged district-wide anti-racism training.

"This case rises above politics, as evidenced by the varied backgrounds of the 36 amici supporting our clients. They understand that the outcome of this case will affect every American’s civil rights," Southeastern Legal Foundation Litigation Director Braden Bouchek said. 

In addition to the red states that voiced support for the educators, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Cato Institute and America First Legal Foundation, along with other groups, also filed supporting briefs.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.