Manya Brachear at the Chicago Tribune wrote about the ACLU of Illinois intervening on the state's lawsuit against Catholic Charities on behalf of children who are wards of the state. Catholic Charities is seeking permission to continue to discriminate against prospective foster parents who are in a civil union. The ACLU argues that excluding qualified, prospective foster parents because of their sexual orientation or civil union violates the federal consent decree in B.H. v. McEwen:
ACLU lawyers said the consent decree requires the state to consider nothing but the "best interests of the child," not the religious beliefs of a private foster agency, when making decisions about placement.
"Catholic Charities is ruling out possible parents based on factors that have nothing to do with the best interests of the children," said ACLU lawyer Karen Sheley.
The ACLU also intervened on behalf of Sarah Riddle and Katherine Weseman, a Champaign couple in a civil union who would like to become foster parents and adopt children.
