Alliance Defending Freedom Represents DeGrosses in Legal Challenge Against State Regulations
For nine years, Shane and Jenn DeGross have embodied their faith through dedicated service as foster parents. They provided their foster children with unconditional love and support, regardless of their backgrounds or the challenges they had faced.
“We experienced the superlative joy of seeing toddlers grow and the bittersweet goodbyes as the children were reunited with their biological mom, grandma, or another loving parent,” Shane DeGross shared.
The DeGrosses have been exemplary foster parents—the kind that Washington State urgently needs to support the thousands of children who lack a stable family environment.
Seeking to renew their license
However, upon seeking to renew their foster care license, the DeGrosses encountered new regulations that they felt compelled them to adopt and promote gender ideology. As Christians, they believe that God created each person as either male or female, and that this biological sex is immutable.
The new rules required foster parents to use pronouns that align with a child’s gender identity and participate in events such as Pride Parades. These parades have sometimes featured controversial elements like middle-school children performing as “drag kids,” and some promoters have declared that “kink belongs” at these events.
According to Shane and Jenn, the state’s mandate effectively required them to advocate for and celebrate beliefs that conflict with their religious convictions. Consequently, they felt compelled to oppose the regulations, leading to the denial of their license renewal.
Ideology and politics prioritized over need to care for vulnerable children
The state’s decision suggests that ideology and politics have been prioritized over the essential need to care for vulnerable children. This is particularly troubling given the acute shortage of foster parents in Washington State, which has led officials to place hundreds of children in emergency housing, including unlicensed hotel rooms, in recent years.
In response to this situation, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has taken up the DeGrosses’ case. ADF is a legal organization dedicated to defending religious freedom, and they are now representing Shane and Jenn as they challenge the state’s regulations.
The DeGrosses’ experience raises critical First Amendment rights violations by the state of Washington. Christian families like the DeGrosses should never face punishment or discrimination from their government simply because their faith leads them to disagree with the state’s stance on gender and sexuality issues. With ADF’s involvement, the outcome of this case could have significant implications for foster care policies and religious freedom in Washington State and beyond.
