Court rules Arkansas can enforce classroom ban on critical race theory
The three-judge panel rejected arguments from students that the state was violating their First Amendment rights by restricting the teaching.
'Since the Free Speech Clause does not give the students the right to compel the government to say something it does not wish to, they cannot show a likelihood of success,' the judges wrote, vacating a previous preliminary injunction blocking the state from implementing the law.
Critical race theory is an academic concept that contends racism is embedded in American institutions. Republicans have gone on a crusade to root it out of classrooms, but it is not always well-defined what qualifies as teaching it.
The state of Arkansas celebrated the victory after over a year battling with students and teachers regarding the law.
'With its ruling today, the 8th Circuit continues to ensure that the responsibility of setting curriculum is in the hands of democratically elected officials who, by nature, are responsive to voters,' state Attorney General Tim Griffin (R).
The attorneys for the students said the decision gives them 'pause and concern,' The Associated Press reported.
'It gives us pause and concern about a steady erosion of individual rights and protections in this great country,' attorney Mike Laux said in a statement. 'Nonetheless, major aspects of this lawsuit remain viable, and they will proceed in due course.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
5 minutes ago
- New York Post
NY Republicans tie Dem opponents to Zohran Mamdani: 'They're Mamdani Democrats!'
Gleeful Republicans will make socialist Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani a key campaign issue as they pound 'Mamdani Democrats' running for election across the state, party insiders said. GOP officials will tie Mamdani to Democrat candidates from Long Island to upstate, with the idea the party will answer for the nomination in more moderate areas such as Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk — and even places like Binghamton, The Post has learned. 'If there was ever any doubt that our city is headed in the wrong direction, this past Democratic mayoral primary election gave people their answer,' Staten Island Republican chairman Michael Tannousis said, noting Mamdani will be a campaign point even in judge races. 3 Republican candidates across New York state will attempt to tie their opponents to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, party insiders told The Post. Getty Images 'Zohran Mamdani is the official nominee of the Staten Island Democratic Party,' he added. 'In November, Staten Island voters will have a choice: whether they will vote for Zohran Mamdani's socialist Democratic Party or the Republican candidates they trust.' Republican nominee Remy Smith, a Housing Court judge, was set to kick off her campaign Sunday against Democrat attorney Matthew Santamauro for a civil court seat on the island. Tannousis said that the Democrat is running on 'the Mamdani ticket.' Mamdani's name will 'absolutely' be used as a weapon against Democrats in Suffolk County, where Republican District Attorney Ray Tierney is up for re-election and 18 county legislative seats are up for grabs, the GOP chairman said. 'The Democratic Party has anointed a communist as the face of the party,' party chairman Jesse Garcia said. 'hey've embraced his policy of defunding the police, antisemitism and higher taxes. Not one Democrat in Suffolk County has denounced Mamdani. 'Our policies are more in tune with Suffolk voters,' Garcia claimed. 'We are going to compare our Republican candidates' records of making Suffolk safer and affordable compared to the Mamdani Democrats' that advocate communism, loss of property rights, antisemitic views, higher taxes and defund the police.' 3 New York Republicans hope that Mamdani will hurt Democrats in more moderate areas like Long Island or upstate. Paul Martinka Mamdani identifies himself as a democratic socialist but he has come under fire for declaring in a resurfaced clip that one of his goals is 'seizing the means of production' — which critics note reeks of the approach of communist regimes. Meanwhile, Republicans in Nassau County will claim that Democrats there share the 'dangerous and reckless Mamdani agenda,' said Nassau GOP chairman Joe Cairo. There are dozens of county, town and village seats up for election in November. The headliner countywide races include Republicans seeking re-election — County Executive Bruce Blakeman Bruce Blakeman, DA Anne Donnelly and Comptroller Elaine Phillips. Cairo called Mamdani and extreme socialist who will destroy the city's economy and make 'Gotham a lawless haven for criminals.' 'Sadly, Zohran Mamdani shares more than a political party line with his Long Island Democrats – he shares a corrosive and dangerous agenda that embraces defunding the police, cashless bail, closing jails, and soaring taxes,' Cairo said. 'Every Nassau County Republican candidate on the ballot — from county legislators to town supervisors – stand firmly against the out-of-touch priorities of Zohran Mamdani and the Democrat candidates in Nassau County who clearly share the dangerous and reckless Mamdani Agenda.' Mamdani's earth-shattering election win in last month's crowded Democratic primary has made him the immediate frontrunner to become New York's next mayor — but the win has not gone unnoticed by upstate Republicans, either. 'We will be ready to strike once voters are educated about Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani is out of touch with the voters here,' said Broome County Republican Party Benji Federman, which includes the city of Binghamton. Binghamton Republican Mayor Jared Kraham is running for re-election in the Democratic-leaning city against Miles Burnett. Start and end your day informed with our newsletters Morning Report and Evening Update: Your source for today's top stories Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters The upstate city is part of the economically struggling Southern Tier that borders Pennsylvania and higher taxes that Mamdani is proposing for the Big Apple are out of sync with the region, the GOP leader said. Federman said he even has liberal friends in Williamsburg, Brooklyn who are terrified of a Mamdani mayoralty. 'Proposals to raise corporate taxes and taxes on the rich are not popular in Williamsburg and not popular in the Southern Tier,' he said. 3 The Post's coverage of Mamdani's meeting with city business leaders. State Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs said the GOP scare tactics of trying to make Mamdani the bogeyman won't work, especially when they have to defend President Trump's hardline policies. 'Typical Republican distraction. Should we tie every Nassau Republican to that nut, Marjorie Taylor Green [Georgia congresswoman] or the assorted antisemites that Trump regularly socializes with?' said Jacobs, also the Nassau County Democratic leader. 'We will do fine just tying them to that Big Ugly Bill that will cause health insurance rates to go through the roof,' added Jacobs, referring to the tax and spending bill approved by Trump and the Republican-led Congress. Jacobs has not endorsed Mamdani. Neither have Senate Democratic Minority leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Brooklynites. Mamdani, who is vacationing in his native Uganda, will face Republican Curtis Sliwa and three independents in the November election. Current Mayor Eric Adams, ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and attorney Jim Walden will each appear on city election ballots on minor party lines. The Mamdani campaign had no immediate comment.
UPI
6 minutes ago
- UPI
Trump announces U.S. deal with European Union to impose 15% tariff
U.S. President Donald Trump waves to the media while playing golf at Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland on Sunday. He later met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo July 27 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Sunday announced 15% tariffs on most foreign goods from the European Union, down from the threatened 30%, as part of a trade agreement with the 27-nation bloc. Trump announced the deal at his Turnberry Isle Country Club in Scotland after his public session with European Commission President von der Leyen. Trump said the European Union won't impose new tariffs on U.S. imports. During the meeting with the media, both leaders said the chance of a deal was 50-50. "You are known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker," von der Leyen told Trump, with reporters on hand. Leyen said the agreement "will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic." Trump said the deal was "satisfactory to both sides." The European Union is the largest U.S. trading partner with $605 billion in goods yearly. The products are mainly drugs and pharmaceuticals, primarily from Ireland, as well as aircraft and heavy machinery, mainly from France and Germany. The 50% tariffs on steel, like most other nations, would remain and more duties could happen for pharmaceutical products, as well as semiconductors. Trump has also threatened a 200% tariffs on any drugs imported to the U.S. Trump said the deal would be "great for cars" and agriculture. Trump has previously noted that few American cars are sold in Europe. On April 2, he said he would impose a 20% duty against the EU, with most trading nations imposed a baseline 10%. He paused the retaliatory tariffs on April 9 for 90 days. In a letter to EU nations on July 12, the U.S. president threatened 30% retaliatory tariffs to take effect on Aug. 1. "Imposing 30% tariffs on E.U. exports would disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains, to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic," von der Leyen said after Trump's letter. Letters to other nations have threatened tariffs as high as 50%, including to Brazil. The Trump administration has been negotiating with other nations, including reaching deals with China (30%), Japan (15%), Indonesia (19%) and Vietnam (20%). Britain, which is not part of the European Union, has a reduction in some tariffs of 10% on up to 100,000 vehicles and 25% on steel and aluminum. Last year, the average U.S. tariffs on imports from the EU was 1.2%, according to Capital Economics' chief Europe economist. The deal with the European Union is part of a broader trade agreement. EU had a $58.7 billion overall trade surplus with the U.S. in 2024. For goods, it was $168.6 billion but the deficit was $126 billion in services trade. "The European Union is going to agree to purchase from the United States $750 billion worth of energy," Trump said. The E.U. would also invest $600 billion into the United States. In 2024, the bloc bought nearly $400 billion in goods. Michael Brown, a senior research strategist at British-based Pepperstone brokerage, told The New York Times that U.S. defense companies likely will emerge as winners from the deal.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
U.S. and European Union announce a trade framework
EDINBURGH, Scotland — The United States and the European Union reached a tariff deal Sunday after a brief meeting between President Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. A White House deadline was days away from imposing punishing import taxes on the 27-member EU, which is America's leading global trading partner. 'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Trump said. The make-or-break talks were meant to head off trade penalties — and promised retaliation from Europe — that could have sent shock waves through economies around the globe. Trump and Von der Leyen held private talks at one of Trump's golf courses in Scotland, then emerged a short time later saying they had reached an 'across the board' agreement. In remarks before the session, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.' 'I think the main sticking point is fairness,' he said while also noting, 'We've had a hard time with trade with Europe, a very hard time.' Von der Leyen had said the U.S. and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars. Trump said the stakes involved meant a deal should be pursued. 'We should give it a shot.' Von der Leyen said Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and deal maker,' which prompted the president to interject, 'But fair.' She said that, if the agreement is successful, 'I think it would be the biggest deal each of us has ever struck.' For months, Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled export tax rate of 30%. The Republican president pointed to a recent U.S. agreement with Japan that set tariff rates for many goods at 15% and suggested the EU could agree to something similar. Asked whether he would be willing to accept tariff rates lower than that, Trump said, 'No.' As for the threat of retaliation from the Europeans, he said: 'They'll do what they have to do.' Their meeting came after Trump played golfed for the second straight day at his Turnberry course. The president's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting, 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family business has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. Joining Von der Leyen were Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief trade negotiator; Bjorn Seibert, the head of Von der Leyen's Cabinet; Sabine Weyand, the commission's directorate-general for trade; and Tomas Baert, head of trade and agriculture at the EU's delegation to the U.S. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but was now firm, the administration said. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday.' He added, however, that even after that, 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, including such diverse items as beef, auto parts, beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually made good on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could mean that items including French cheese, Italian leather goods, German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals would be more expensive in the United States. The U.S. and Britain, meanwhile, announced a trade framework in May and a larger agreement last month during the Group of 7 meeting in Canada. Trump says that deal is concluded and that he and Starmer will discuss other matters, though the White House has suggested it still needs some polishing. Weissert writes for the Associated Press.
