The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) barred a Catholic couple from fostering children because they believe what the Bible says about gender and sexuality.
Mike and Kitty Burke, represented by Becket Law, filed a lawsuit against DCF for discriminating against them based on religion. An excerpt:
The state recently claimed it changed its foster care policies to allow families with traditional religious beliefs about gender and sexuality to participate—but the state is still fighting in court, claiming its decision to reject religious families was justified. Massachusetts is also asking the court to prevent the Department of Children and Families (DCF) from having to explain its new policies on the record.
After a threat from the Trump administration, the state removed rules that required foster families to respect a child’s “gender” and sexuality. So why are the Burkes still banned?
Becket said that the couple received extensive training and high marks from the state. But DCF denied them.
Though there’s a foster family shortage in the state, bureaucrats have decided that if couples decline to teach children to reject their bodies or refuse to indulge in deviant fantasies, they’re not fit to be foster parents.
“We will never forget the pain that Massachusetts put us through simply for staying true to our beliefs,” said Mike and Kitty Burke. “What makes it worse is that the state is still defending that decision—even while claiming it has changed its rules to welcome families like ours.”
As Becket stated, Massachusetts said they now welcome religious families — except the Burkes?
“That is hypocrisy, plain and simple,” said Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the Burkes. “The court should put a stop to the state’s religious targeting and clear the way for loving families to help children in need.”
