By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A judge on Thursday ordered Cincinnati Public Schools to remove all but 20 political signs, including pro-bond issue signs, from school property by 5 p.m. today.

The order came after a board member for an anti-tax group, the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST), sued the board of education. The suit alleges the anti-tax group's signs opposing the bond issue were being removed from school property, while pro-bond issue signs were left.

"COAST members were offended by Cincinnati Public Schools' abuse of school property for political purposes," said Christopher P. Finney, attorney for the anti-tax group.

Mr. Finney said COAST hired people Wednesday to take photos of signs being removed. He said the group thinks the people removing the signs were school employees. The signs say "School board inept. Vote no on Issue 2."

"We certainly did not request or ask school personnel to do that," said Jan Leslie, spokeswoman for the school district.

U.S. District Court Judge Sandra S. Beckwith said in her order the school district created a forum for partisan advocacy on tax levy issues but engaged in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination by refusing to allow the anti-tax group to display its opposition signs. The judge said the anti-tax group could display 20 signs on school property opposing the bond issue.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com