Foster Care SCANDAL Rocks Officials

Christian foster families are facing systematic religious discrimination by state agencies that prioritize woke gender ideology over the welfare of children in desperate need of homes.

Story Snapshot

Vermont revoked licenses of exemplary Christian foster parents who refused to affirm state-mandated transgender policies
Twenty-three state attorneys general filed legal briefs supporting the families’ religious liberty lawsuit
States are enforcing ideological conformity despite severe foster care shortages
Oklahoma and other conservative states are passing laws to protect religious foster parents from discrimination

Exemplary Foster Parents Targeted for Faith

Vermont officials stripped licenses from two Christian couples—Brian and Katy Wuoti, and Bryan and Rebecca Gantt—despite previously praising them as exemplary foster parents. State authorities revoked their certifications in 2024 after the families refused to affirm mandatory policies supporting transgender identity transitions for children. The couples had served Vermont’s foster care system faithfully for years, providing loving homes to vulnerable children who desperately needed stability and care.

State Overreach Threatens Religious Liberty

Vermont’s Department for Children and Families implemented new requirements forcing foster parents to actively promote and support gender identity policies that directly contradict Christian beliefs about biological sex and child development. This represents government overreach that violates the First Amendment’s protection of religious exercise. The Alliance Defending Freedom filed suit on behalf of the families, arguing that states cannot impose ideological litmus tests that exclude faith-based families from serving children.

National Coalition Fights Back Against Discrimination

Twenty-three state attorneys general, led by Florida and Oklahoma, filed amicus briefs supporting the Christian families’ legal challenge. This unprecedented coalition demonstrates the national significance of Vermont’s anti-religious policies. The case is currently on appeal after a lower court sided with the state, setting up a potential Supreme Court showdown over religious liberty in child welfare. Legal experts note this builds on the 2021 Fulton v. Philadelphia decision that protected religious agencies from similar discrimination.

Oklahoma recently passed legislation prohibiting state agencies from requiring foster parents to affirm policies conflicting with their religious beliefs. This protective law directly counters Vermont’s discriminatory approach and provides a model for other conservative states. The legislative response recognizes that diverse families, including those with traditional religious values, strengthen the foster care system rather than weaken it.

Foster Care Crisis Worsened by Ideological Purge

Vermont faces a critical shortage of foster families, making the exclusion of qualified Christian parents particularly harmful to children awaiting placement. State policies prioritize progressive ideology over practical solutions to help vulnerable youth. The irony is stark: officials remove proven foster parents during a crisis because they won’t pledge allegiance to gender ideology that many medical professionals and child development experts question.

This systematic exclusion of religious families threatens the constitutional principle of pluralism that has long strengthened America’s child welfare system. When states force ideological conformity, they reduce the pool of loving homes available to children who have already suffered trauma and abandonment. The ultimate victims are the children whom these policies claim to protect.