'Nanny State': Nonprofit Sues Virginia AG for Telling Parents They Can't Seek Christian Babysitters

Steve Warren
10-29-2021

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A Virginia nonprofit dedicated to protecting parental rights has filed a lawsuit against Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring,  challenging a new Virginia statute that does not allow parents to consider religion when hiring a babysitter.

The Parental Rights Foundation, on behalf of a Virginia family, on Thursday sued Herring over the Commonwealth's amended Human Rights Act. 

Jane and Scott adopted their daughter, M.W., in 2015. Because M.W. has medical conditions, the couple has hired babysitters to help with her care for several hours each week, helping her get ready for school, driving her to and from school, and supervising her after school.

It is important to this family that the babysitters they hire share and support their beliefs as Christians. 

"We are Christians and are looking for a like-minded caregiver," they said regularly in advertisements for the position.

According to the Parental Rights Foundation, the Virginia Human Rights Act did not apply to babysitters until it was amended earlier this year. Not only does it now forbid taking religion into account when hiring a babysitter, it also prohibits parents from including this preference in their advertisements. 

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the bill into law last March. 

"Virginia has taken the phrase 'nanny state' to an absurd extreme," said James R. Mason, the foundation's president. "Virginia has no legitimate interest in telling parents who to hire to babysit their children."

On behalf of Jane and Scott's family, the foundation's attorneys are asking the Circuit Court in Richmond to declare the amended Human Rights Act to be in violation of the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. 

CBN News has reached out to Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring's office for comment.  We will include it when they respond. 

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About The Author

Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News. Warren has worked in the news departments of television stations and cable networks across the country. In addition, he also worked as a producer-director in television production and on-air promotion. A Civil War historian, he authored the book The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory. It was the companion book to the television documentary titled Last Raid at Cabin Creek currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Communication from the University of
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