Supreme Court will look at appeal in social services case
The U.S. Supreme Court will take another look at a case involving social services in Philadelphia.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it would consider an appeal of a ruling by the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals on Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia.
“Philadelphia’s attempt to force these organizations to choose between operating according to their faith and closing is an assault on the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty and an unnecessary threat to the well-being of our kids,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th.
Philadelphia announced in March 2018 that it no longer would contract with faith-based organizations that only place children in homes with parents of the opposite sex.
In 2019, Kelly joined several colleagues in support of Catholic Social Services, the organization that filed the lawsuit in the case.
Kelly said the lawsuit threatens religious freedom and children seeking loving homes.
“Faith-based adoption and foster care providers have played an extraordinary role in providing loving homes to vulnerable children throughout American history,” Kelly said.
Kelly also introduced the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, which if enacted would prohibit discrimination against child welfare providers who decline to carry out certain services that conflict with their religious beliefs.
The Inclusion Act would have no affect on the activities of other child welfare service providers, but would protect faith-based agencies from being singled out for religious beliefs.
