State-Funded Foster Care Agencies Under Review After Refusing To Let Gay Parents Adopt

By Joseph Erbentraut, courtesy of the Windy City Times

While three faith-based foster care agencies receive state funding in excess of roughly $40 million annually as contractors with the state of Illinois responsible for licensing foster parents, LGBT advocates have cried foul as these agencies all have policies denying licenses to openly gay and lesbian parents.
The agencies, advocates argue, are discriminating against queer applicants on the basis of their sexual orientation, while the agencies contend they are protected by religious exemptions found in state, county and city non-discrimination law.

The issue was most recently raised to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) last fall after a gay couple living in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood attempted to adopt a 15-year-old boy, a ward of the state for seven years, through the Lutheran Child and Family Services (LCFS). LCFS eventually denied the couple's application despite the mens' assertion that the agency had already known about their sexual orientations for months prior to that decision.

The controversy spurred DCFS to converse with LGBT advocates in concert with the governor's office and state attorney's general office to "begin to resolve the legal issues" surrounding the gay parent-barring policies of LCFS, Catholic Charities and the Evangelical Child and Family Agency. The possible result of these conversations will likely come down to a choice for the agencies involved: Change their policy and allow for openly gay and lesbian people to be licensed as foster parents or lose state funding.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Genita Love]

03:34 AM on 04/06/2011

As far as I am concerned Gays have NO right to adopt children. Kids NEED a mother- a FEMALE parent, and a father- a MALE parent....That isn't saying I'm against people's making the choice to be gay OR straight...But if they CHOOSE to bat for the home team, they CHOOSE to LOOSE their right to be parents in any capcity!!! They really NEED to use their brains NOT their hormones or lusty droolies when making that crucial decision. If they make the CHOICE to be gay, then they should EXPECT to LOOSE some of the things that straight people enjoy as per their right for doing things as God designed them! There is a very GOOD reason why the Bible AGAINST homosexuality....Get a grip people, they're only getting what they've got coming to them for their sin and BAD lifestyle choices!!!! Quit whining and ACCEPT that is HOW the cookie crumbles!

[JohnFromCensornati]

06:26 AM on 04/06/2011

"Kids NEED a mother- a FEMALE parent, and a father- a MALE parent"

Why is that? So, that they can become mindless haters like you?

BTW - "loose" and "lose" are not the same word. Maybe you wouldn't look quite so ign0r@nt if you went back to 3rd grade and learned something instead of taking all your lessons from the Big Book of Multiple Choice.

[storeysound]

01:43 PM on 04/06/2011

That is an incredibly ignorant and narrow-minded stance. First off, being gay is not a choice. Who would willingly choose to be ostracized by society and their families, to not be able to marry, to not be physically able to have children with the person they love and want to spend their life with, and to be looked at as "not normal" their entire lives. People who are gay were born that way. I have known a number of gay individuals, male and female, who tried to live heterosexual lifestyles, marrying someone of the opposite sex, having children and the whole nine yards, and were miserable, depressed, and even suicidal because of their inner conflict (and some were very religious people, so were even more conflicted and self-loathing). It was coming to grips with who they really were that allowed them to heal.

I would think that you, as a person with bipolar disorder, would be a bit more sensitive to bigotry against people perceived as "outside the norm" due to their internal wiring, but obviously I am wrong. You fanned me earlier, and while I agree with many of your other posts, your utter insensitivity on this matter demands that I ask you to unfan. Thank you.

[JohnFromCensornati]

01:08 PM on 04/07/2011

It fanned me too. I think it's a st@lker.

[Jon Polm]

05:24 PM on 03/24/2011

Discrimination!!!!!!!!!!!! They better let ANYONE adopt if they are financially, emotionally, and responsibly fit to parent.

[VoiceofMany]

09:09 PM on 03/22/2011

The LGBT community wants everyone to respect their rights, yet gays don't respect the rights of Christians to be against gay adoption or gay marriage.

[17andlife]

03:57 PM on 03/24/2011

that isn't true. these organizations receive federal funding. if they were private or received their funds via other religious organizations, then this would be moot. as is, there is a federal protection for LGBT persons from those that seek to disassociate us with the rest of society.

one can have their opitions, but discrimination is discrimination. it doesn't matter how you slice it.

[freedom1947]

11:13 AM on 03/29/2011

Cristians have lost credibility by the votes they gave away to the republican money lenders. They have no rights in the name of their god to discriminate about something told to them by their priests who use their donations for personal gain.

[Balzac]

04:06 AM on 03/22/2011

Lutheran Child and Family Services might have their state funding cut over this? Really?

[jeeimu]

11:49 AM on 03/30/2011

absolutely - they're receiving public funds - obey the rules or lose the cash.

[Bob Wood]

07:43 PM on 03/21/2011

A loving home should be the only requirement for adoption. That children should have to endure institutional homes instead of a home where they are cared for is outside the realm of reason. Given a choice...one would think a child would rather have a home with a loving same sex couple than no home. LGBT people are mostly good, caring, loving people. To exclude them from providing for a child that needs a home..is a waste of good hearted people. Once again...reason needs to be applied rather than groundless emotions...(sigh)

[Balzac]

04:08 AM on 03/22/2011

That's absurd. Lutheran Child and Family Services opted not to send a 15 year old boy to a couple of gay men. Now you want their funding cut? Get real man.

[Bob Wood]

10:51 AM on 03/22/2011

What's absurd is your idea that a 15 year old would rather not have a home and live in an institution. You get real man...what's your objection to a 15 year old living in a home with gay men ? Are you playing the old...all gay men are pedophiles card ? That's absurd too. It might shock you to know that the vast majority of people, gay or straight, abhor pedophiles. LGBT people have about the same percentage of scoundrels as the general population...not very many. Your concerns are unfounded...(sigh)

[ninetailedfox]

04:56 PM on 03/13/2011

Christians have the highest divorce rates, I hardly think that ANY christian should be in ANY position to tell others how they should dictate their lives. from women's rights, to racism to gay rights, christians have always been on the losing side of history. Things never change, and people will keep ASSuming that its better to be a liberal christian than a non christian, which is a huge fallacy.

[VoiceofMany]

09:16 PM on 03/22/2011

Dude....from where are you getting your facts? You're entitled to an opinion but not your own facts. BTW, the tenet of separation of church and state is to protect religion from government takeover and preserve religious expression, not the other way around. Don't you remember American history and the reason the early Settlers came to America?

[AStranger]

03:21 PM on 03/28/2011

The earliest settlers came to America to flee religious persecution and to establish their own theocracy. That second part isn't usually advertised, but they were as bigoted and theocratic as the people they were fleeing - they just had a different faith.

Now, fast forward to the actual constitution - it doesn't ban religious expression and it does protect it, yes. It also specifically prevents the establishment of a religion.

[ninetailedfox]

04:51 PM on 03/13/2011

Christians are ignorant of the fact that their bible supports polygamy. Christians are also ignorant of the fact that the concept of marriage is not Christian nor is it Jewish, its Pagan in origin.

Also, the State has no right funding churches, that is unconstitutional.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:27 PM on 03/12/2011

If they wish to discriminate then let them lose public monies. I don't pay taxes to support discrimination against other GLBT people.

[VoiceofMany]

09:03 PM on 03/22/2011

And I don't pay taxes to support gay adoption and therein lies the rub.

[17andlife]

03:59 PM on 03/24/2011

just as i do not pay taxes to 1. enable any religious organization, and 2. bigotry.

this is America. land of the free. the melting pot of the world. where everyone is equal and everyone deserves to be treated fairly and with respect.

[Jon Polm]

05:28 PM on 03/24/2011

I'm sure you didn't want to pay taxes to support equal voting rights either eh?

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:10 PM on 03/12/2011

Flagged. I don't care what nonsense you choose to believe. Studies have shown that lesbians actually do slightly better than straight parents raising children. Anyhow your superstitions should not be the basis for public message.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:10 PM on 03/12/2011

Sorry, mean to say "public policy".

[Rodig]

02:50 PM on 03/12/2011

Religion: Loving all Gods' creations for eterni.....

Wait what?

[Rob Horton]

02:40 PM on 03/12/2011

Apparently, it's too much to expect "Christian" agencies to actually emulate Christ instead of the pharisees Jesus continually condemned.

[ninetailedfox]

04:53 PM on 03/13/2011

Ive heard liberal christians assume that i would go to hell or limbo for not thinking as they do. Frankly, im thoroughly disgusted by christian hypocracy.

[VoiceofMany]

09:04 PM on 03/22/2011

Two men and two women can't produce a baby so it sounds as though the Christian agencie are emulating Christ.

[17andlife]

03:59 PM on 03/24/2011

no. Christ said not to judge. that means anyone for anything.

[Jon Polm]

05:29 PM on 03/24/2011

Two men and Two women could produce 2 babies...:)

[neverdeadned]

11:53 PM on 03/11/2011

Its sad how a 14 year old girl who will woefully be inadequate as a parent mentally and financially is able to keep their kid and ruin their lives and their childs but gay couples can't adopt..

[YOKEL13]

12:27 AM on 03/12/2011

I'm pretty sure that will change with the implementation of same-sex marriage. Denial of adoption is an abrogation of civil rights which is not sustainable when same-sex marriage is legal.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:12 PM on 03/12/2011

F&F My husband and I have no plans to adopt but I hope that we get marriage equality so that any same-sex couple who wishes to adopt will be able to do so.

[guendy]

07:38 PM on 03/11/2011

This is why many Americans adopt children from other countries: it's easier.

[LeftRight]

10:09 AM on 03/11/2011

My question is, the ONLY people who can legally remove a child from a home are DCFS. And the government agency that these private agencies are contracting with is DCFS.

So DCFS is taking kids from their homes, and giving them PRIVATE organizations to foster them out to foster parents throughout the state? While at the same time DCFS itself is ALSO fostering children out throughout the state?

Why the doubling up?

[nongrata]

10:02 AM on 03/11/2011

i click on smoking article and i get the agenda..devious

[Bill J4321]

11:29 AM on 03/11/2011

I don't thing you 'get' anything at all.

[kareemachan]

12:32 PM on 03/11/2011

Conspiracy much?