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School Board Settles Suit Over E-Mail

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By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2007

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County School Board agreed Tuesday to settle a lawsuit that was filed by the Florida Family Association over blocked e-mail.

The board unanimously approved the settlement, which states that the board will not attempt to recover $8,000 in court costs as long as Florida Family does not appeal a federal judge's ruling dismissing the case.
School board attorney Tom Gonzalez said the board can't recoup the $75,000 it spent in attorneys' fees.

The association, led by David Caton, sued the district in November 2005, saying its free speech rights were violated when the district blocked mass e-mail protesting a decision to remove three religious holidays as school holidays.

The district said that it temporarily blocked some bulk e-mail to check for pornography and viruses.
School board member April Griffin said she was upset it took so long for the case to be resolved.

'I knew we were right from the beginning,' Griffin said. 'What bothers me is that all that money was taken out of the classroom.'

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109 or msamuels@tampatrib.com.

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