Here's an interesting story out of Indianapolis. It seems that the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is questioning the Indianapolis school district's Internet use policy, saying that certain restrictions are in fact in violation of the First Amendment. In response to complaints, FFRF has filed a complaint saying that the public school district's "censorship of web content that promotes or provides information about atheistic views... which also censors Wicca, Witchcraft, voodoo rituals or any other for of mysticism, is unlawful" in that it creates discrimination against certain religious viewpoints.
The district's Internet policy does not prohibit access to websites that reference Christianity or Judaism. You can read a copy of the entire policy here: Indy Schools Internet Filtering Policy
What intrigues me is that there are thirty-odd categories of websites that are filtered out by the district's servers. Many of them seem logical - after all, you don't want some fifteen-year-old surfing for porn while he's supposed to be in study hall. However, a few raise some red flags. Under "Alternative Spirituality/Beliefs", the policy reads, "Sites that promote and provide information on religions such as Wicca, Witchcraft or Satanism... This category includes sites which discuss or deal with paranormal or unexplained events." So, in addition to students not being able to acces About Pagan/Wiccan, they also can't read about paranormal stuff.
It should also be noted that sites that "provide information, support, or cater to one's sexual orientation or gender identity" are blocked. That means if you're a gay, lesbian, bi or transgender student, you're out of luck if you want to find information on the school's computers.
Now, I get at least a dozen emails a week from students who are interested in information on Wicca and modern Paganism because they want to do a report on it. It seems pretty sad that these kids can't access the information they need, but they'd be able to access a site with Christian information on it. Really, if the school district doesn't want kids reading about one religion, they should block access to websites about all religions.
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The district's Internet policy does not prohibit access to websites that reference Christianity or Judaism. You can read a copy of the entire policy here: Indy Schools Internet Filtering Policy
What intrigues me is that there are thirty-odd categories of websites that are filtered out by the district's servers. Many of them seem logical - after all, you don't want some fifteen-year-old surfing for porn while he's supposed to be in study hall. However, a few raise some red flags. Under "Alternative Spirituality/Beliefs", the policy reads, "Sites that promote and provide information on religions such as Wicca, Witchcraft or Satanism... This category includes sites which discuss or deal with paranormal or unexplained events." So, in addition to students not being able to acces About Pagan/Wiccan, they also can't read about paranormal stuff.
It should also be noted that sites that "provide information, support, or cater to one's sexual orientation or gender identity" are blocked. That means if you're a gay, lesbian, bi or transgender student, you're out of luck if you want to find information on the school's computers.
Now, I get at least a dozen emails a week from students who are interested in information on Wicca and modern Paganism because they want to do a report on it. It seems pretty sad that these kids can't access the information they need, but they'd be able to access a site with Christian information on it. Really, if the school district doesn't want kids reading about one religion, they should block access to websites about all religions.
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This is so horrible. I myself used to live in Indy, and always wondered why my stuff kept on getting blocked. I hope the school at least revises their list, because it’s a major violation of the first amendment.
What teachers and parents think is that children and teenagers are too young to have their own beliefs, so they think they’ll get away with blocking sites they don’t approve of.
It’s so sad
The reason that is, is that the web filtering softwares tend to be made by religious fundamentalists. They routinely block out occult pages. I have been to Panera Bread, a place that has wifi for free when you eat, and been locked out of my coven’s website, also locked out of Covenant of the Goddess’s website.
http://www.cog.org . But the Christian sites were not blocked.
It’s interesting that one of the blocked categories covers websites that “advocate, depict hostility or aggression toward, or denigrate an individual or group on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, or other involuntary characteristics.
I interpreted this two ways:
1. Since it says “advocate” an individual or group, that means they cannot allow Christian or Jewish websites either, because they fall under the religious category. Are they breaking their own policy?
2. “…or other involuntary characteristics.” Apparently religion is an involuntary characteristic…
Oops, I forgot to say that the quote is from the pdf file behind the “Indy Schools Internet Filtering Policy” link under the “Violence/Hate/Racism” category.
It amazes me, school is a place to learn……but when it comes to religion, they only allow you to learn about ONE faith??? Religious freedom is only free if it covers all faith, not just one…If only one is offered/respected, then None should be allowed. I’ve always encouraged my kids to learn all they can about different faiths. If they meet someone from a faith that is new to them, learn about it. Choose when you’re ready, not because someone only allows contact with one.
I hate to say it, but I’m not surprised at all
My high school does indeed block certain websites. When I was young and not very bright, I would spend my lunch periods in the school library on the Internet. Mostly I did schoolwork but when I had free time I would Google Wicca and see just find different things to read about. I only ever came across one or two sites relating to Wicca that were blocked, the rest were not.
Now, as soon as the librarian realized what I was reading over there in yonder corner, she contacted an assitant principal who contacted my parents. Wasn’t that a fun conversation?
Its sad that any school (a place where students are supposed to learn and grow up) would prevent a student from learning about religion. I never saw anything in the Acceptable Use Policy that said I couldn’t read websites about Wicca or any other religion, but at the same time my Internet use was restricted as school for the rest of the year on the grounds that I wasn’t using it for a school related project.
The next time I was brave enough to try to read about Wicca on a school computer, I found that many more sites were blocked, including this one. Yeah, that was all my fault, which is just really not cool.
Wow. I find the whole thing very strange as I am writting this from a school computer during my 2 period spare. I go to school in Ontario and I have accessed Wiccan and LGBT sites on the school computer mutiple times. I can’t imagine how they can get away with blocking those sites. that’s ridiculous. The sites blocked at my school are facebook and youtube. Our internet policy is nothing like the Indianapolis’. I hope they are forced to change the policy.
Not ruffle and feathers.But if they were being true to the law, they would have to make sure that no religion or religuos information was being seen on that schools site.
I live in utah and even The LDS people aren’t a loud to have here religion in school,let alone any others.
All because of the law of speration of church and state.So, that makes it fair.My daughter isn’t forced to learn there religion and my religion isn’t forced on the devote LDS children.
I feel thats a good thing,religion is a personal thing.So, what ever your calling is you will find it and fallow.Even if you couldn’t in school.
I totally agree that this is a clear case of discrimination. Recently I went through something similiar at work. They changed the filtering program which allowed the christian, jewish, hindu, muslim and buddhists sites to go through, but none of the pagan or wiccan sites. The block page was titled “blocked for ‘non-traditional religion and occult site.’”. Well, needless to say I found this extremely offensive and went about stting it right (3 months ago) I finally had to threaten to go to HOUR who advised me the office policy was that the support staff was not allowed to use the internet for personal use, but that it would be handled. Right afterwards the other sites were blocked as “traditional religions” I felt vindicated.
It is the usual christian closed mindedness, their insecurities, their abnormal need for utmost control.
Their petty jealousies.
Their idiotic teachings need to change.
Not surprised to read this on Indiapolis. Just disgusted.
I went to a federally funded technical school not going to name anything, but I thought it was absurd that I could view the Goodhatesfags.com website (from a link about an article from About.com), however when I tried a similar link off of my Pagan/Wiccan newsletter for an article about the Chruch of Satan it was blocked. Either save for your own computer and you don’t have to block nothing, or roll with the punches.
As soon as I read this title I though ‘Finally someone has taken notice to this!”. I live in the Santa Rosa School District and have myself been subject to their religious views in school. Our internet filters block us from the same thing, although in a different wording. “Nontraditional Religion” is what popped up when I was researching the Pagan Beliefs of Romans for a school project. This makes me wonder,
Who is sitting behind a desk deciding what MY “Traditional” religion is?
As to further angry me, in spite I googled “Christianity” and was able to open MANY pages that taught about the Christian Faith.
Although this was 2 years ago, it still stands today. The only difference is that now many Christian pages are blocked, but only because of the filter “Social Networking” not because out schools need to be separated from religion.