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Foster Families Appeal Anti-Faith Ruling: 'I've Never Known Vindictive Religious Discrimination Like This'

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Foster care families are uniting to appeal a recent court ruling targeting religious-based foster care agencies like Catholic Social Services.

Monday, Sharonell Fulton and two other foster care families called for an appeal of a Philadelphia city court ruling which allows the city to stop placement of foster kids with agencies who disagree with same-sex marriage.

According to the Becket, which is representing the plaintiffs, Fulton, Cecelia Paul, and Toni Simmons-Busch have fostered more than 140 kids combined.

The three foster parents who are fighting the city say this ruling is biased and an outright attack against people of faith.

In an op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Fulton says Catholic Social Services has been a great resource for her foster kids.

"I don't understand why the city is threatening to shut down the agency that has given hope and a family to so many children," she said in a statement.

The city currently has many at-risk children who are in need of shelter. Nevertheless, it refuses to place them in the dozens of open homes which are affiliated with Catholic Social Services because of its religious views.

Fulton, who has been a foster care mother for 25 years, currently cares for two special needs kids and fears they will be taken away.

She attributes her Christian walk to her warm heart for these unwanted children. "It was my faith that led me to become a foster mother to children, particularly children that society had abused and discarded," said Fulton.

Fulton describes her home as a "safe harbor to children" for scores of children who "have endured unspeakable abuse and trauma," and now she wants the city to rethink their discriminatory position.

She describes her home as a "safe harbor to children" for scores of children who "have endured unspeakable abuse and trauma," and now she wants the city to rethink their discriminatory position.

"As a single mom and woman of color, I've known a thing or two about discrimination over the years. But I have never known vindictive religious discrimination like this, and I feel the fresh sting of bias watching my faith publicly derided by Philadelphia's politicians," said Fulton

Catholic Social Services has been a pillar of the community for more than a century, and now the foster agency fears one ruling is threatening to undermine all of their good work for the city.

Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, says all is not lost. She believes that though "the trial court allowed the city to continue its harmful policy," there is light at the end of the tunnel.

According to Windham, they will fight this ruling to the highest court and in the end, it is "a decision we expect to change with this appeal."

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