Christian foster parents in Massachusetts are challenging a state policy that requires them to affirm and encourage the medical transition of children in their care who identify as transgender or risk losing their foster care licenses. The lawsuit, filed Sept. 3, names two families — the Jones and the Schrocks — who foster young children and infants.
Both families say they have either lost or are at risk of losing their licenses because of the policy, which requires foster parents to sign agreements to ‘promote,’ ‘support’ and ‘affirm’ a child’s gender identity or expression. The Christian families argue that complying with the policy would violate their religious beliefs.
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According to the lawsuit, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families plans to remove the Jones’ 17-month-old foster daughter from their home. The child has lived with them since she was barely 2 months old.
The Schrocks, who have cared for 28 foster children over six years, had their license revoked in June after telling the state they could not comply with the policy.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the religious liberty legal group representing the families, said the two households previously fostered 35 children and were in good standing before the new requirements.
According to the suit, Massachusetts did not previously require foster families to pledge verbal affirmation of a child’s gender identity. That changed between 2023 and 2024, when the state began requiring families to sign agreements to speak and act in certain ways, including affirming a foster child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
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ADF argues the state is infringing on its clients’ First and 14th Amendment rights and is harming children at a time when Massachusetts is facing a foster parent shortage.