ACLU Sues Tennessee Schools for Blocking LGBT Websites

ACLU SUES TENNESSEE SCHOOLS FOR BLOCKING LGBT WEBSITES
The American Civil Liberties Union sued two Tennessee school districts in federal court yesterday, claiming that the districts' Internet filters unconstitutionally block students from accessing Web sites focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.

The suit alleges that the filtering software used by the districts blocks access to Web sites specializing in LGBT policy issues, including the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network and Human Rights Campaign. In contrast, the suit notes, students are able to access Web sites that condemn homosexuality or advocate "reparative therapy" programs that attempt to change a person's sexual orientation.

Stimulate Economy--Forgive Student Loan Debt!

Obama Touts Plan to Change Student Loan System
Obama proposes a good first step in the failed student loan system--get the banks out it! Like credit card debt, banks have been saddling students with debts many cannot and will no repay. Unlike most European countries, where public college tuition is free (publicly funded), American students now primarily rely on student loans to cover the rising costs of college tuition and other expenses (food, housing, etc.) It's another financial crisis about to explode.

Obama wants to eliminate government subsidies to private banks, which profit from student loans while the government "guarantees" the loans (profit without financial risks for banks), and make all student loans directly from the Dept. of Education.

This is a good first step, but doesn't go far enough. Public education should not stop with high school, it should continue through college. There should be NO student loans, and no student loan debts. All current student loan debts should be forgiven.

This is also another way to "stimulate" the economy. Instead of struggling to pay down loans, college graduates could be buying homes, cars, etc., i.e., stimulating demand and economic growth.

Of course, the right-wing conservatives are already crying "socialism" just for Obama's meager proposal.

Education, like healthcare, should be a RIGHT, not a privilege for the wealthy, or a commodity for banks to profit off the backs of struggling students.

If the U.S. government can "bail out" rich Wall Street bankers and financiers, why can't it bail out students??

WHITE HOUSE: Student Loans--Cutting Out the Middle Man
Forgiving Student Loan Debt Would Stimulate the Economy
See Student Loan Justice

TN Schools Block LGBT Sites

Tennessee schools block LGBT info sites, not 'ex-gay' sites
As many as 107 Tennessee public school districts could be illegally preventing students from accessing online information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, according to a letter to sent to school officials by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The letter demands that Knox County Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and the Tennessee Schools Cooperative unblock the Internet filtering category designated “LGBT” so that students can access political and educational information about LGBT issues on school computers.

In its letter, the ACLU gives the districts and the Tennessee Schools Cooperative until April 29 to come up with a plan to restore access to the LGBT sites or any other category that blocks non-sexual websites advocating the fair treatment of LGBT people by the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.

If that deadline is not met, the ACLU will file a lawsuit, the letter warned.
The Internet filtering software used by Knox County and Metro Nashville school districts blocks student access to the websites of many well-known national LGBT organizations, including: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network; the Human Rights Campaign; The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; Dignity USA; Marriage Equality USA; and the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry.

In its demand letter, the ACLU notes that websites that urge LGBT persons to change their sexual orientation or gender identity through so-called “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay” ministries – a practice denounced as dangerous and harmful to young people by such groups as the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics – can still be easily accessed by students.
No federal or state law requires school districts to block access to LGBT sites. Tennessee law only requires schools to implement filtering software to restrict information that is obscene or harmful to minors.

About 80 percent of Tennessee public schools, including those in the Knox County and Metro Nashville districts, use filtering software provided by Education Networks of America, and the software’s default setting blocks sites ENA categorizes as LGBT the ACLU said.

The ACLU said it believes that most of the 107 Tennessee school districts that use ENA’s filtering software keep the LGBT category blocked. ENA blocks access to a wide category of “LGBT” sites described on the organization’s website as ” Sites that provide information regarding, support, promote, or cater to one’s sexual orientation or gender identity including but not limited to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender sites.

Also:
Homophobia Is Killing Our Youth

Student Loan Slavery

With the costs (tuition, books, etc.) of college skyrocketing, and less "financial aid", more and more college students are relying on "student loans" to pay for college. There are many sad cases, I'm one of them, of people who leave college or graduate school with $50,000-$100,000 in student loan debt they cannot pay back. Student Loan debt CANNOT be forgiven or wiped out, even in bankruptcy, except under very specific circumstances (teaching in certain areas, military service, etc.) and Congress just recently passed some help that will forgive student loans if you work in "public service" (teaching, police, non-profit, etc.) for 10 years.

Ever had a waiter with a Ph.D. in Philosophy? I have. I know people with Ph.D's who CANNOT FIND A JOB! And they have more education and loan debt than most lawyers and doctors!

Most programs (e.g., AmeriCorp) to pay off student loans are geared to undergraduates and don't even apply to graduate students, and cannot be used to pay off debt after the fact.

So where is the "bailout" for those who are slaves to student loan debt they cannot pay?
Why do Americans rely on student loans to pay for college? In most Western European countries, public college tuition is FREE (like our public schools). In France, Germany, etc. you don't need student loans to go to college or graduate school! It's all paid!

Why aren't U.S. political leaders even discussing this problem?

College Loan Slavery: Student Loan Debt Out of Hand

Going to College or Grad School Looks Like A Disaster

If you want to read the sad stories check out:

Student Loan Justice

Project on Student Loan Debt

Those with student loan debts will probably have to get in line behind the bankers, Wall Street financiers, and others begging for government handouts...

UPDATE--NYT: College May Become Unaffordable for Most in the U.S.