Foster parent ban: 'extreme distress' of 'anti-gay' Christians' over ruling

It's already difficult to foster out Black kids - and then the UK government intervenes to stop seasoned foster parents because they don't believe in homosexuality. Being gay is the current flavor of the month and ANYONE who even thinks they may be gay has to be told it's ok and encouraged - yes, even when you're eight. I don't know about you, but when I was eight I didn't even know what sexuality was - I did know what discipline was and I did know who would meet it out were I naughty; but, sexuality?? I'm not sure what the government thinks this couple would do to any 'potential' gay foster children they may end up with? Beat them up? Not feed them? This PC world is just getting a tad too precious for me. Time to toughen the heck up! In the meantime, children who are already in dire straights will just have to wait a bit longer for a new family - one that agrees with everything the liberals want for humanity (oh, but you can abort children to your hearts content cause that's ok, as long as you embrace the gays).

Hat tip: Andrew S

The couple said they felt excluded for holding “normal, mainstream, Christian views” and had been willing to “love and accept any child”.

“All we were not willing to do was to tell a small child that the practice of homosexuality was a good thing,” the couple said after losing their case at the High Court.

During the 1990s, the Pentecostal Christian couple from Derby provided foster care for nearly 20 children.

But following the introduction of equality laws, they were blocked from fostering in 2007. Social workers said the couple’s belief that homosexuality is wrong meant they were not suitable to look after a child aged between five and eight.

On Monday two High Court judges backed Derby city council by ruling that homosexual rights “should take precedence” over the rights of Christians in fostering cases.

Mr and Mrs Johns, aged 62 and 65 respectively, said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the judgment.

Mrs Johns told The Daily Telegraph: “It is just one more blow for us. It seems a dark day for Christians.”

During the case, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, an official watchdog, suggested that the couple could attend a “re-education” programme, according to Mrs Johns.

“Why do we need to be re-educated? Because we believe that homosexuality is not right?” she said. “We said we would sit down and talk to the child to find out where it is coming from.

“They said, 'No, you would have to tell the child it is all right to be homosexual because there are too many children that are confused with their sexuality.’ We thought, yes, but at eight?”

Their case was handled by Lynda Williams, a social worker, who assessed Mr and Mrs Johns in June 2008, after the council invited them to reapply to become foster parents. The national shortage of carers stands at an estimated 10,000.

In her 48-page report on the couple, Miss Williams described them as “well-meaning” and “kind and hospitable people who would always do their best to make a child welcome and comfortable”.

However, she concluded: “Mr and Mrs Johns’ views on same sex relationships, which are not in line with the current requirements of the national standards, and which are not susceptible to change, will need to be considered when the panel reaches its conclusion.”

Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson ruled that social workers were right to take the couple’s religious views into account. Under the current rules on fostering, introduced by the Labour government, councils and fostering agencies should ensure that children “are provided with foster care services which value diversity and promote equality”.

Foster carers should “recognise and address” the child’s needs, including in terms of their sexuality. Homosexual rights campaigners welcomed the ruling.

Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of Stonewall, the lesbian, gay and bisexual charity, said: “We’re delighted that the High Court’s landmark decision has favoured 21st century decency above 19th century prejudice.”

The Christian Legal Centre reacted to the judgment with dismay and warned that “fostering by Christians is now in doubt”.

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