They use terminals at their neighborhood public libraries to research homework assignments. They say a new federal law requiring public libraries to use Internet filters to receive federal technology funds would prevent them from gathering the kinds of information they needed recently to complete research assignments on breast cancer, prostate cancer and sexually transmitted diseases. The two students from Mathematics, Civics and Science Charter School in Philadelphia are among the named plaintiffs in one of the two federal suits filed in Philadelphia today seeking to overturn the Children's Internet Protection Act. The students outlined their views in advance of a press conference announcing that the American Library Association and the American Civil Liberties Union had filed tandem suits in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia challenging the the constitutionality of the new law. Representatives of the groups said the two suits were brought on behalf of a broad coalition of library groups, health organizations, individual library patrons and Internet publishers.
Lawyers expect the court to combine the suits.
Meanwhile, supporters of the Children's Internet Protection Act including the Washington-based Family Research Council, today vowed to defend it in court. We all agree that filters aren't perfect. Blocking of constitutionally protected material can happen, but it isn't fatal or terminal. Not all problems brought on by transformative technological innovation like the Internet, have technological solutions . . . We believe education is more effective than filters.