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Judge sides with ACLU in LGBT ruling
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March 14, 2012
CAMDENTON, Missouri: On February 15, United States District Court Judge Nanette Laughrey issued an injunction ordering the Camdenton R-III School District to remove it's internet filtering software that blocks access to educational websites about gay, lesbian and transgender issues. The lawsuit was brought by the ACLU and is part of a nationwide campaign called "Don't Filter Me," an initiative of the group's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project.[1] The deadline for the discontinuation or reconfiguration of the software will expire this week.[2][1][3]
The court gave its ruling, saying the software "systematically allows access to websites expressing a negative viewpoint toward LGBT individuals by categorizing them as 'religion,' but filters out positive viewpoints toward LGBT issues by categorizing them as 'sexuality.'"[2]
The executive director of the Missouri Family Policy Council, Joe Ortwerth, said,
- "When you consider that there's a federal law on the books that obligates school districts to ensure that their computers do not allow access to materials that might be pornographic for minors, this judge's action -- considering that -- is pretty shocking."[1]
The School District released a statement, saying
- "The district stands by its position that it has acted in the best interest of its students and will continue to do so. The district does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination against any of its students and supports the rights of its students to receive information."[3]
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