FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2020
CONTACT
Manisha Sunil, West End Strategy Team
msunil@westendstrategy.com; Phone: 202-776-7700
Interfaith Alliance Urges SCOTUS to Reject Special Privileges for Select Faith-based Entities
WASHINGTON — In response to the announcement that the Supreme Court will hear Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case concerning whether faith-based service providers should receive federal dollars for discriminatory practices, Katy Joseph, policy and legislation advisor for Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:
“The American foster care system is in a moment of crisis. As thousands of children seek the stability of a loving permanent home, today’s announcement indicates an openness by the Supreme Court to authorize discrimination in child welfare.
“The constitutional right to religious freedom protects the sanctity of personal belief. However, that freedom ends when the exercise of one’s faith would harm the rights or well-being of another.
“Since its inception, Interfaith Alliance has fought to ensure that tax dollars do not fund discrimination. A decision in favor of Catholic Social Services would vastly distort our first freedom by allowing faith-based providers to needlessly restrict the pool of prospective foster and adoptive parents, forcing vulnerable children to suffer the trauma of state care longer than necessary.
“On behalf of foster children and taxpayers across the country, we urge the Supreme Court to reject this attempt to create special privileges for a small number of faith-based entities. Religious freedom protects personal belief – not publicly-funded discrimination.”
Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit www.interfaithalliance.org.