After losing in its attempt to force a Christian family to worship at the transgender altar, Washington’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families has surrendered.
The state agreed to a permanent injunction that means families are not required to enforce the state’s embrace of gender ideology when they take in foster care children, according to Just the News.
“DCYF is prohibited from denying foster family home license applicants, or licensed foster parents seeking renewal of their license, a full license consistent with the requests of the applicant/licensee or attaching any conditions or restrictions to the license solely because of their religious beliefs, including speech and actions pertaining to marriage, gender, or sexual relationships,” the injunction from District Court Judge David Estudillo said.
Shane and Jennifer DeGross had been battling the state since 2022 and went to court in 2024 after being told their license to serve as foster parents would only be renewed if they agreed to affirm gender transition language.
In a defiant stand for religious freedom and the rights of foster parents, Shane and Jennifer DeGross are challenging the overreach of Washington state’s progressive policies. The couple’s commitment to their faith and the welfare of foster children has led them to file a lawsuit… pic.twitter.com/3QLlAgWkFU
— The Patriots Prayer Network (@ThePatriotsPray) April 1, 2024
The court ruled that was likely to be a First Amendment violation.
Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said the family wanted to be able to care for children without being forced to compromise their beliefs.
State officials “don’t have to agree with the DeGross’s religious beliefs to see the benefit of including them in the foster care system and inviting them in to help care for children in need,” Widmalm-Delphonse said.
“We’re going to have disagreements about gender ideology and the truth about how God created us male and female. That wasn’t the purpose of this lawsuit,” he added.
“The purpose was, despite these differences, can DCYF pursue a big tent strategy that’s both in line with the First Amendment of the Constitution and that will promote children’s best interest to make sure every child has a loving home?” he continued.
Republican state Rep. Travis Couture said that forcing foster parents to mimic liberal ideology was “insane and unconstitutional.”
“They’re not even asking them, but actually they are by the force of government, like a gun to your head, telling you that you will affirm the pronouns, or you can’t be a foster parent,” Couture said. “I’m glad they lost, but sad that it ever occurred.”
Widmalm-Delphonse said the state will also pay $250,000 in legal fees.
“By requiring prospective foster families to parrot the government’s preferred views on issues of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, Washington was unlawfully restricting people like Shane and Jenn DeGross from serving,” the ADF wrote on its website.
The ADF noted that the couple had cared for foster children for nine years before the state attempted to force them into a language straitjacket.
“As Christians, Shane and Jenn believe that God created each person either male or female and that sex cannot be changed. Their Christian beliefs inform their view that people should live consistent with God’s design, so the DeGrosses cannot promote an ideology that claims that a person can choose his or her sex or gender,” the ADF release said.
“Praise God, after the district court ruling, the state of Washington settled, agreeing to a permanent injunction that will now allow religious families to serve as foster parents without promoting gender ideology,” the ADF wrote.
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