Supreme Court rules for Catholic foster care agency in gay discrimination dispute
(Worthy News) – The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled for a Catholic-run foster care agency in a dispute over Philadelphia’s nondiscrimination policy against gay and transgender people.
The court found that Philadelphia had violated the free exercise clause of the First Amendment by refusing to contract with Catholic Social Services in the placement of foster care children. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the opinion of the court. No justices dissented. A number of justices, including Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, and Gorsuch, filed concurrence.
Roberts wrote in his opinion that Philadelphia’s policy, which was adopted after the landmark gay marriage decision Obergefell v. Hodges, violated the First Amendment because it was neither “neutral and generally applicable.” Philadelphia directly targeted Catholic Social Services, he added, pointing out that the agency had never clashed with any couple before the city cut ties with it. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]