LGBT Filtering Victory!
Yesterday we won a great settlement of a lawsuit against two Tennessee school districts. Before, public schools in Nashville and Knoxville had blocked access to all Web sites that presented positive information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Yet they allowed access to Web sites urging individuals to attempt to change their sexual orientation or gender identity (a practice the American Psychological Association recently denounced). Blocking access to just one side of a debate is called viewpoint discrimination – the government cannot favor one side of the debate over another – and it violates the Constitution. Yesterday a federal court approved a settlement binding the schools to never again block access to the favorable sites and agreeing that, if the schools violate the settlement, the court will take up the lawsuit again.
Students and faculty were understandably upset by Nashville and Knoxville's discriminatory practice, which they protested to school officials for many months before finally resorting to contacting the ACLU of Tennessee. When the ACLU and the Tennessee affiliate investigated, it quickly became apparent that about 80 percent of Tennessee school districts were using the same Internet filtering software as Nashville and Knoxville, strongly suggesting that all of these schools were blocking access to the LGBT-supportive websites.
After Nashville and Knoxville ignored written requests from the ACLU that they change their policy, we sued the school districts on behalf of a courageous group of students and a school librarian who decided to take a public stand. One of those students, Bryanna Shelton, shared her thoughts when the case was first filed in this video.
The school districts hastily backed down and stopped blocking the educational Web sites. And in a very heartening move, all of the other school districts using the same filtering software appear to have changed their blocking practices as well.
Some of the press coverage of the settlement quotes a school official as saying that "the lawsuit is dismissed with prejudice meaning it can never be brought again. It's over." That's not the case. The court's order specifically provides that, if the schools violate the agreement and start blocking the websites again without adequate justification, the court will take up the case again. The settlement also obligates the school districts to inform the ACLU of Tennessee if it starting blocking the websites. The ACLU intends to make sure that the schools do not resume their unconstitutional filtering practice.
Aug 13th, 2009 at 9:41pm
"Blocking access to just one side of a debate is called viewpoint discrimination – the government cannot favor one side of the debate over another – and it violates the Constitution. "
Please advise specifically the text of constitution which prohibits viwewpoint discrimination. Post reply. Thank you.
Aug 13th, 2009 at 11:03pm
Being from Tennessee I am disappointed to see these school give into the terrorist group known as the American CRIMINAL Liberties Union.
Unless you pander to fags and dykes then they threaten to steal(sue) your money by shopping their liberal claim to a liberal sodomite in a black robe.
Let's see if the defenders of the 1st amendment allow this message to be posted. Probably not.
Aug 15th, 2009 at 8:44pm
I am not a church going christian or any other religion, however what I just saw on Huckabeereally says it all about you people.
Aug 16th, 2009 at 3:48pm
Good work A.C.L.U. once again you have struck a blow against thought cintrol.
Aug 16th, 2009 at 8:42pm
One has to wonder just what is behind the ACLU. On one hand the ACLU has done good things on behalf of those that have been wronged. On the other hand the organization seems as though it is anti-religious. In other words it seems as if Satan is in charge and decides what the organization is going to do. You have lost my support and many of my friends due to your anti-religious attitude. Saying grace over a meal and you think that is wrong? Boy are you stupid!
Aug 17th, 2009 at 12:02pm
You are pigs who are violating the first amendment rights of this teacher and principal in Florida.. We Americans will rise up against you just like we did with Obama and his cronies.. You will not get away with this, destroying innocent lives, you are the ones that need to be shut down and thrown in prison and have the keys thrown away.
Aug 17th, 2009 at 1:19pm
t, check out http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?item=glossary
and its cite of the 2003 case of Virginia v Black
http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2002/2002_01_1107
on viewpoint discrimination.
Jim, the ACLU is not anti-religious. It is anti-"my religion is the only true religion and everyone will have to follow its rules". I hope that you can appreciate the difference.
Mitzi, when did prohibiting someone from gaining access to information become "violating the first amendment rights of this teacher and principal"?
Aug 17th, 2009 at 2:32pm
The bigots may wave their Bibles all they want but bigotry we always be evil.
Btw Mitzi the first amendment does not give anyone the right to promote ignorance.
Aug 18th, 2009 at 7:15am
It's funny, here you are congratulating yourself for protecting free speech, but an ACLU lawsuit against Pace High School in Santa Rosa County, Fl, has resulted in a teenage girl NOT being allowed to speak at her graduation because she might thank God for helping her get this far. SO MUCH FOR FREE SPEECH!
I guess it is only Free Speech worth protecting when it agrees with the ACLU agenda.
Aug 18th, 2009 at 10:39am
If I understand this correctly, the ACLU supports freedom of speech. This is encouraging. It is, after all, one of our constitutional rights. The ACLU also claims to support religious beliefs. Interesting. It would seem that the ACLU's support of religious beliefs pertains only to those who believe that religion has no place on this earth. As one who is constitutionally free to state what I believe without ramification, I would suggest that a Higher Power is responsible for the existence of each and every living thing on this earth. Our forefathers who founded this "land of the FREE" seemed to think so, too. Those who don't believe this are perfectly free to express their opinions, as they have for centuries. Why, then, is it becoming more and more difficult for the "believers" to express their opinions and practice their faith as they please? No one is forcing anyone to believe a certain way - it is a choice. For example, if a school board wishes to allow prayer in their schools, that is their right. If a certain student does not believe in prayer, that student can be silent or leave the classroom. Very simple.
I am married to an atheist. I am a Catholic. If my husband were the ACLU, I would be in prison right now. You scoff, but that is precisely what you are doing - attacking individual religious beliefs because they offend people who disagree with them. What part of FREEDOM don't you people understand???
I am getting the impression that you will go against the majority and the established rights under our constitution in favor of anyone or anything that opposes them. Tell me, are you planning to redesign the American flag to include a sickle and hammer? Sorry, I hope that remark didn't offend anyone. May God bless all of you - yes, ALL of you, and if that offends you, TOO BAD!!!!!!!!
Aug 18th, 2009 at 12:57pm
OH MY Father GOD, in heaven, grant me the strenght to fight these idiots from the ACLU and stand up for you and what I and 80 percent of americans know is right and believe in. Grant me the power and skill so that if approached by any of these idiots I may be a good marksman and hit my target, for we all know that anyone associated with the ACLU should be shot and their bodies hung from trees to rot.
Aug 18th, 2009 at 2:36pm
Maggie, The ACLU defends individual religious beliefs. You can read about their efforts in various articles on this site.
Having read some of your posts in the past I know that you are able to understand the difference between private citizens and representatives of the State. The State must be neutral in regard to religion. Private citizens do not have to be.
Do you have any concept of what might happen to a child who defied adult authority and left the classroom during a prayer?
Aug 18th, 2009 at 2:57pm
Just writing in support of your victory against censorship. I've been aware of this case for awhile and it's one of the reasons I started donating to the ACLU. Congrats!
Aug 18th, 2009 at 3:28pm
Hey - #10 I did not write that response. Blog Home should I change my user name?
Aug 19th, 2009 at 1:33pm
I sent a message yesterday #10 is not me.
Aug 20th, 2009 at 7:31pm
Let me say this. God only made a man and a woman for each other: Adam & Eve not Adam and Steve and so on. Anything else is a perversion and a lie from Satan. God is perfect and does not make mistakes. He gave us a free will to choose but it doesn't mean that He will condone any wrong choices.
Check your American History. The first book used in the school system was the Bible to teach the students to read. And why did they pick the Bible?
Because #1 this country was founded on Christian principles which taught them good behavior, respect etc. and that we will ALL be accountable to God for our actions. Prayer was also included.
Aug 21st, 2009 at 11:43am
freedom of speech; ha! what a joke! speak out and a person is subject to arrest for the crime of disorderly conduct. The gov't has wrapped a nice rope around the neck of dissent in this country! have a nice life future "AMERICANS" ha!ha!ha!
Aug 23rd, 2009 at 11:15pm
Fellow Believers, ... hanging from the cross in great suffering and pain, giving his life that we may have eternal life with our creator, our Lord and Savior said, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do".
Forgive the ACLU, and pray for them.
Sep 20th, 2009 at 8:16pm
Here's how it works: a man and a woman get married. that man and woman have children. They carry on the human race. Two men cannot reproduce. Two women cannot reproduce. ALL schools should block gay and lesbian sites - why should my children be exposed to something that is not natural and rather disgusting. The ACLU supports gay marriage. Just think, if it were only homosexuals getting married, the human race would die off rather quickly. What a backwards bunch of worthless liberal bitches. The ACLU supports self destructive acts. And one day the ACLU will destroy itself (unfortunately, that day will not come soon enough).
Post new comment