A lawsuit over access to LGBT-related websites at a mid-Missouri public school was heard today inin Jefferson City.
The case involves filtering software used by thelibrary. The suit was filed by and is backed by the. Tony Rothert, Legal Director of the, says the Camdenton Schools' library uses filtering software that blocks any mention of sex, not just pornography.
鈥淪tudents are unable to access any information that鈥檚 positive about gay, lesbian or transgendered people," Rothert said. "The filter they鈥檙e using categorizes everything that鈥檚 negative about gay and lesbian people as religion, and they don鈥檛 block religion...students are free to access all kinds of information with the opposite viewpoint: that gay people are evil, lesbians are damned."
Tom Mickes is an attorney representing Camdenton schools.
鈥淣o school district has the manpower to check every one of those websites, so they鈥檙e blocked until somebody, a faculty member or a student, requests access," Mickes said. "If they鈥檙e not pornographic, obscene or inappropriate, we open them up."
Mickes also accuses the ACLU of using the lawsuit to intimidate school districts.
"They want (a) screening (system) that is more politically correct," Mickes said. "It's not the school district's job to keep the ACLU happy; it's the school district's job to keep our students safe."
A ruling in the case has not been issued.