Christian foster families fight back against Massachusetts transgender mandate

Christian foster parents in Massachusetts are challenging a state initiative that requires them to affirm and encourage the therapeutic transition of children in their care who identify as transgender or menace losing their foster care licenses The lawsuit filed Sept names two families the Joneses and the Schrocks who foster young children and infants Both families say they have either lost or are at liability of losing their licenses because of the protocol which requires foster parents to sign agreements to promote help and affirm a child s gender identity or expression The Christian families argue that complying with the initiative would violate their religious beliefs COLORADO PLEDGES NOT TO ENFORCE GENDER IDENTITY RULES FOR CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S CAMP AFTER LAWSUITAccording to the lawsuit the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families plans to remove the Joneses -month-old foster daughter from their home The child has lived with them since she was barely months old The Schrocks who have cared for foster children over six years had their license revoked in June after telling the state they could not comply with the strategy Alliance Defending Freedom ADF the religious liberty legal group representing the families declared the two households previously fostered children and were in good standing before the new requirements According to the suit Massachusetts did not previously require foster families to pledge verbal affirmation of a child s gender identity That changed between and when the state began requiring families to sign agreements to speak and act in certain methods including affirming a foster child s sexual orientation or gender identity TEXAS PARENTS SUE HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SECRETLY TRANSITIONING THEIR CHILD AGAINST THEIR INSTRUCTIONSADF argues the state is infringing on its clients First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and is harming children at a time when Massachusetts is facing a foster parent shortage DCF Department of Children and Families is even willing to remove young infants and toddlers with no understanding of gender identity from loving homes because of their Christian beliefs creating more trauma for the the greater part vulnerable members of society the lawsuit states ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse noted Massachusetts was prioritizing ideology over children s necessities DEMOCRATIC STATES SUE TRUMP ADMIN OVER ENDING SEX CHANGE SURGERIES FOR MINORS Massachusetts foster care system is in problem The commonwealth has more than children who are waiting to be placed with a loving family Yet Massachusetts is putting its ideological agenda ahead of the demands of these suffering kids Widmalm-Delphonse declared in a press release He called the matter particularly egregious because the state was threatening to remove the child the Joneses' are fostering from the only home she's ever known The Massachusetts Department of Vitality and Human Services and the Department of Children and Families named as defendants in the lawsuit did not straightaway respond to Fox News Digital s request for comment The families are asking the court to block enforcement of the rule declare it unconstitutional and cover their legal costs