FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2021
CONTACT
Manisha Sunil, West End Strategy Team
msunil@westendstrategy.com; Phone: 202-417-0171
SCOTUS Foster Care Decision a Blow to Civil Rights, Endangers Children and Religious Freedom
WASHINGTON—Today’s decision by the Supreme Court in Fulton v. Philadelphia is a major blow to religious freedom and endangers already vulnerable children stuck in the foster care system, say interfaith activists. On the question of whether faith-based service providers should receive federal dollars for discriminatory practices, Katy Joseph, director of policy & advocacy for Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:
“Today’s decision is a devastating blow to equality, religious freedom and, perhaps most importantly, thousands of children stuck in the churn of the foster care system who will now be forced to wait even longer for a loving home.
“The constitutional right to religious freedom protects the sanctity of personal belief. However, that freedom ends when the exercise of one’s faith would harm the rights or well-being of another. This decision vastly distorts our first freedom by allowing faith-based providers to needlessly restrict the pool of prospective foster and adoptive parents, forcing vulnerable children to suffer the trauma of state care longer than necessary.
“City regulations would not require anyone — a doctor, an employer, a case manager — to change their religious beliefs. It only intends to protect vulnerable communities from abuse and exclusion based on who they are and who they love, and ensure taxpayer money does not fund discrimination.
“Religious freedom and nondiscrimination protections are complementary values, rooted in the fundamental principle that every person should be treated equally under the law. Taxpayer dollars should never pay for programs that exclude or discriminate against participants, especially when doing so would only exacerbate an urgent foster care crisis. I’m deeply disappointed that the Court refused to recognize that principle in this case.”
Since its inception, Interfaith Alliance has fought to ensure that tax dollars do not fund discrimination. The decision in favor of Catholic Social Services is a tremendous distortion of the First Amendment, allowing faith-based providers to needlessly restrict the pool of prospective foster and adoptive parents, forcing vulnerable children to suffer the trauma of state care longer than necessary. Learn more about our work furthering LGBTQ+ equality.
If you are interested in speaking further with Interfaith Alliance on this issue, please contact Manisha Sunil at (202) 417-0171 or msunil@westendstrategy.com.
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Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.