News Release
For Immediate Release: 6.6.25
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Court of Appeals Urged to Reverse Decision that Revoked the Foster Care License of Christian Families Over Gender Views
The state of Vermont’s Family Services Policy considers these families unqualified to parent children because of their views on human sexuality.
New York, NY—First Liberty Institute filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of two Vermont families after their foster care licenses were revoked because of their religious beliefs regarding gender.
You can read the brief here.
“The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment guarantees that individuals can live according to their faith and the government cannot discriminate based on religion when it operates government programs,” said Tiffany Dunkin, Legal Fellow for First Liberty Institute. “Revoking the foster care license of two caring families because of their religious views is blatant religious discrimination.”
Brian and Kaitlyn Wuoti and Bryan and Rebecca Gantt are two Christian families who feel called by their beliefs to adopt children and provide loving, caring homes. Before completing the licensing process, the Wuotis’ adopted a four-month old boy and his half-brother, adding to their three biological children. Shortly after starting the application process, the Gantts’ were asked, on an emergency basis, by Vermont’s Department of Children and Families (DCF), to take a child born with neonatal abstinence syndrome. They took in the child and eventually adopted two boys and one girl born with drug dependence.
Despite being described by state officials as “amazing” and “welcoming” parents, according to Vermont state policy their religious views render them unqualified to parent any child regardless of the child’s age, beliefs, or identity, and their foster parent licenses were rescinded. DCF revoked their foster-care licenses after the couples expressed their religious views.
In the brief, attorneys state, “Completely excluding from becoming foster parents those who cannot affirm a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity for religious reasons cannot be the least restrictive means for any legitimate interest. The foster child placement mechanism already allows the State to make individual assessments to ensure it places children with the best-suited foster parents. Thus, the State does not have to give blanket refusals of foster parent licenses to applicants like the Wuotis and the Gantts.”
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
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