Prosecutor: Teacher allowed son to send racist e-mail from school

Alex Curtis, the publisher of a white supremacist Internet site, is accused of vandalizing two synagogues and making racist threats against a Jewish congressman, a Hispanic mayor and others.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amalia Meza raised the issue of his mother's involvement to support her argument that the parents, who are not accused of any criminal wrongdoing, encouraged their son's racist endeavors.

Meza urged the judge to reject their offer to put up their home as backing for a $240,000 bond.

Patricia Curtis, a journalism teacher at Mount Miguel High School in Lemon Grove, allowed her son to send the racist e-mails in 1998, Meza said.

One e-mail was received by a newspaper reporter, who alerted school officials.

At the time, the Grossmont Union High School District had no policy on the use of its employees' e-mail accounts.

Patricia Curtis was not punished, but was told to stop allowing her son to use the account, said Warren Williams, Grossmont's assistant superintendent for technology.

Meza read a letter written by Patricia Curtis that called her son's cause "divinely inspired." Meza contended that it demonstrated support for her son's activity.

The prosecutor suggested that Curtis' father, Dale, may also have racist tendencies. Dale Curtis allegedly asked authorities not to confiscate hate books discovered during a search of his home because they belonged to the family and had been handed down through generations, according to Meza.

The judge decided to give Curtis' court-appointed attorney, George Hunt, until Dec. 12 to prepare his argument that Curtis should be released from jail.

Dale and Patricia Curtis refused to comment on the allegations after the hearing.

Alex Curtis, who was arrested Nov. 9, has pleaded not guilty to three federal counts of conspiracy to violate civil rights. If convicted, he could face 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.