Faculty and students from Alabama’s public colleges filed an appeal to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to overturn a state law that bars public institutions from sponsoring DEI offices or programs. Plaintiffs — represented by the Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU of Alabama — argue the 2024 statute (SB 129) is vague, infringes on free‑speech and undermines academic freedom by restricting teaching on issues tied to race, sex, gender identity and other protected characteristics. A U.S. district judge denied a preliminary injunction in August, saying institutions can 'reasonably control' class content; the appeal stresses continued harm to academic operations and campus governance. University leaders, legal counsel and academic affairs offices in other states are watching the case for how courts will weigh statutory limits on programming against constitutional and accreditation expectations.