ACLU sues Missouri school district for blocking gay advocacy sites

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against a Missouri school district for using Internet-filtering software that blocks websites aimed at gays and lesbians.

According to the ACLU, the school district blocked the websites of PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Campus Pride and DignityUSA, a Catholic gay-rights organization. Tim Hadfield, superintendent of the Camdenton School District, said he ACLU had previously complained about the district blocking sites including those for the Gay-Straight Alliance and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education network. He said the filter was adjusted to allow for access to those sites. “We do not filter gay and lesbian and alternative-lifestyle websites,” Hadfield said. “We do filter sexuality.”