The influential American Federation of Teachers is suing the Education Department over its order that schools receiving federal funds either end their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs within 14 days or risk losing the taxpayer money. 

The suit was filed Tuesday, following the agency's Feb. 14 letter in which schools nationwide were given an ultimatum. 

ATF, the country's second-largest teachers union, is led by Randi Weingarten. Historically, It has supported Democrats running for elected office through fundraising and get-out-the-vote efforts. 

Weingarten is a longtime friend of Hilary Clinton, and ATF leadership's endorsement of her as the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee roiled rank-and-file union members.

The American Sociological Association (ASA), the national scholarly society for sociologists, is another plaintiff in the ATF lawsuit. 

The suit was filed in a federal court in Maryland and alleges the department violated the First Amendment by forcing schools to teach only the views supported by the federal government. 

The plaintiffs also argue the letter violated the Fifth Amendment because the directives are so vague that schools might not know which practices cross the line.

"The overbreadth and vagueness of the law, and the content-based restrictions it places on speech and expression, will force plaintiffs’ members to choose between chilling their constitutionally protected speech and association or risk losing federal funds and being subject to prosecution," the complaint stated.

The AFT and ASA asked the judge to declare the policy unconstitutional and bar federal officials from enforcing the directive.

Since taking office about a month ago, President Trump has aggressively tried to fulfill his campaign promise of eliminating such programs from institutions that receive federal funds, amid the argument that DEI initiatives are discriminatory and prioritize certain demographics over merit, particularly in hiring.

Craig Trainor, the department's acting assistant secretary for civil rights, in the letter to schools said DEI initiatives are "overt and covert racial discrimination" in K–12 schools and universities. 

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20, his first day in office, to end "radical and wasteful government DEI programs."