ACLU, Metro Schools Settle Web Censorship Suit

Students at Metro Schools will be able to access more Web sites related to gay, lesbian and transgender issues this year. A federal court in Nashville dismissed an ACLU lawsuit today after the two sides reached a settlement.

Nashville and Knoxville schools are named in the suit, but the issue spans most districts in the state. Education Networks of America provides Internet filtering software to 80% of Tennessee school systems. As required by law, the filter blocks pornographic and other harmful material. But it also was blocking gay and lesbian issue sites while allowing those that tout reparative therapy for homosexuality.

Attorney Chuck Cagle represents Education Networks and says the gay issue sites, while not pornographic, present unique challenges.

“These sites in particular can be quite tricky as they’ll have links within those sites that take them to classified advertising and to chatrooms.”

Cagle says the filters have been tuned to allow the educational sites but block the ads that might pop up on the page.

Both school officials and attorneys with the ACLU say they’re pleased with the out-of-court agreement.

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