The ACLU has written to Gwinnett County Schools, demanding that the system unblock the web-filtering technology that is keeping students from viewing gay sites at Brookwood High School in Snellville. Granted, they're not talking about unblocking gay porn sites, but gay/transgender etc informational sites. So, okay -- that's educational and may be needed. But so are heterosexual educational sites, but the school blocks those, too.
Heck, my daughter can't send a text message from their cell phone to me from South Gwinnett High School whenever and wherever she wants to, because it's blocked. As they would say, "Derp." Do my daughters complain that it's unfair or wrong? Sure they do. But here's the kicker -- I DON'T CARE that they don't like it. They can send texts another time. They are there for learning the required curriculum. I feel the same about kids viewing any kind of sex education sites, even if they're informational -- are they part of the school's CURRICULUM? No, they are not.
You can say (and I'd probably agree with you here) that kids who think they are gay or want to learn about transgender issues can't always go talk to a parent or even a trusted adult about their concerns. But the same can be said of heterosexual teens considering sex issues.
The sticking point of the news report below to me is that sites that help teens NOT be gay ARE accessible. It should be all of them or none of them in my opinion. I think the solution to this situation will be to approach websites the same way the school libraries and county libraries approach books.
We may need to make it ALL available, then let citizens file a complaint and review of the material in question and it goes before the school or library board. Great. More bureaucracy. So I ask you --
- Do we need to provide everything for everybody?
- If sex information sites are filtered for everybody, isn't that fair?
- Isn't it enough that they are learning English (now called Language Arts to probably please some special-interest group), math, science, etc on the taxpayer's dime?
Are gay rights important? Sure, just like any human being's rights are important. But I also care about all our citizen's rights to have an educational system that isn't pushed around by every special interest group. If it was Planned Parenthood that wanted access to sites with Planned Parenthood information unblocked, I'd have a problem with that, too.
My gay friends will probably not like this post. But for the record, I don't consider you my "gay friends," I consider you my friends. And that's where I am on this issue. Tell me what you think.
ACLU Warns School District Over Web Filtering
WGCL Atlanta
by Steve Kiggins, CBS Atlanta Reporter SNELLVILLE, Ga. -- The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to Gwinnett County Schools Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks to demand Brookwood High School stop using web filtering technology to block lesbian ...
Gwinnett Schools Under Fire For Blocking LGBT Websites
WSB Atlanta
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- The Gwinnett County School district is under fire for blocking access to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) related websites. The ACLU is now demanding that the district lift the filters, or they could face a lawsuit. ...
