Ford, et al. v. The Oklahoma State Department of Education, et al.

Summary

The Oklahoma Supreme Court held that plaintiffs' challenge to the Oklahoma Social Studies Standards of 2025 was moot because the standards no longer existed. The Court found that no exception to mootness applied, dismissed the appeal, and reversed the district court's judgment with directions to enter a dismissal without prejudice. Several justices concurred, while Justices Kane and Jett dissented in part from the decision to vacate the lower court ruling.

Holdings

1. The appeal was moot because the challenged 2025 Social Studies Standards no longer existed, leaving no effective injunctive or declaratory relief for the court to grant.
2. Neither the exception for issues capable of repetition while evading review nor the substantial-public-interest exception applied.
3. The district court judgment was reversed, and the district court was directed to enter a new judgment dismissing plaintiffs' petition as moot without prejudice.

Questions Presented

1. Whether plaintiffs' appeal challenging the 2025 Social Studies Standards and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief became moot because the standards no longer existed.
2. Whether an exception to mootness applied based on the potential repetition of the controversy while evading review.
3. Whether the public-interest exception to mootness applied.
4. Whether the district court's judgment should be reversed and the petition dismissed without prejudice after the appeal became moot.

Disposition

reversed_and_remanded