Trump promises fair treatment for Christian foster parents
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During the Biden administration’s tenure, Christians who volunteered as foster parents faced significant challenges due to their religious beliefs, particularly those caring for society’s most vulnerable children. As Donald Trump returns to the presidency, these individuals express optimism about an end to the discrimination they’ve experienced within the foster-care and adoption systems.
Despite Biden’s self-proclaimed Catholic identity and regular Mass attendance, his administration’s policies often conflicted with traditional Christian teachings on crucial social issues. This became evident in his approach to foster care and adoption services.
Even after the Supreme Court’s unanimous 2021 ruling in the Fulton case, which found Philadelphia’s severance of ties with a Catholic foster agency unconstitutional, Biden’s administration maintained its focus on LGBTQ-related matters in foster care. His 2022 executive order emphasized protecting LGBTQ youth from what he termed “dangerous” conversion therapy and stressed the importance of gender-affirming foster homes.
Blaze News original: Trump gives willing parents hope by taking aim at anti-Christian bigotry in foster system | Blaze Media https://t.co/bIGwoxv1Bx
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This policy direction particularly affected Christian foster parents, who represent a significant portion of the foster care community. The case of Mike and Kitty Burke in Massachusetts exemplifies this impact. The Catholic couple, unable to have biological children, faced rejection from the Department of Children and Families despite their qualifications and willingness to care for children with special needs.
Documents revealed explicit religious discrimination in their case. Linda-Jeanne Mack of 18 Degrees wrote to Dawn Sweetman of DCF, expressing concerns about the Burkes’ religious views regarding LGBTQ issues, despite acknowledging them as “lovely people” with “a lot of strengths.”
“Issue(s) of concern for which the couple’s license study was denied is based on the couple’s statements/responses regarding placement of children who identified LGBTQIA,” social worker Tywanna Jones documented in the DCF’s decision.
MELANIA TRUMP'S DONATION TO FOSTER CHILDREN'S EDUCATION REJECTED BY UNIVERSITY: "As well as the University, it was all agreed that they would accept my donation to help foster children but, because of the board of directors, they decided we could not go on. It is very sad because… pic.twitter.com/PJANMtF3qy
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Kitty Burke, however, emphasized their commitment to caring for any child. With her background as a paraprofessional for special-needs students and her husband’s experience as a former combat Marine, they felt uniquely qualified to care for traumatized children. She described extensive questioning about their Catholic faith during the application process.
The Burkes’ legal challenge, supported by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, found initial success when District Judge Mark Mastroianni ruled in their favor following a partial motion to dismiss. William Haun, their legal representative, expressed confidence in their ultimate victory.
Trump’s recent executive order on “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias” specifically addresses such discrimination in foster care, acknowledging how the previous administration’s policies affected Christians in the system. Combined with his pardons for Christians involved in peaceful anti-abortion protests, this action has renewed hope among religious communities for fair treatment in foster care and adoption services.
