Kansas senator continues war on same-sex foster parents

Kansas Republican state Senator Forrest Knox chairs a special committee on foster care “that last month reviewed research by Catholic priest and sociologist Donald Paul Sullins on the fitness of same-sex couples to foster. Sullins' research has been disputed by scientific organizations, including the American Psychological Association,” according to the Associated Press.

Reaction to Knox’s hearing has been swift, with controversy swirling over whether the Kansas Department for Children and families discriminates against same-sex couples when choosing foster parents.

Knox has continually put himself at the center of the controversy. In February, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Knox “requested legislators Thursday [to] establish a special category of foster parent distinguished by a faithful heterosexual marriage of more than seven years, no use of tobacco or liquor in the home and regular attendance at church or comparable social group.”

Most recently, the Wichita Eagle reported that Sen. Knox on Wednesday, December 2, “sent an e-mail to constituents Wednesday criticizing media coverage of the state’s foster care system and the rights of same-sex couples.”

Senator Knox’s website presents the same allegation, in a section labeled “Straight Talk.” The Senator writes: “The media’s issue of the day, homosexual rights, seems to trump all. Though most of the research dealing with how best to meet the needs of children is not at all aimed at the homosexual marriage issue, anything that seems to cast their choices in a bad light is considered controversial.

“Not long ago it was not at all controversial that the traditional, “nuclear” family – comprised of a father and a mother in a lifelong, loving marriage – raising children – was considered to be the best way to meet the needs of children. Today this view is no longer politically correct and is actually received by many with anger. The problem with this whole argument is that it seems to be all about the rights of adults, with no consideration being given to the children.

“My concern is the children. If the state has custody of children, should we not do the best we can at meeting their needs? There is no ‘right’ of certain people or classes of people to be licensed foster parents. The state should select the best foster parents, based on verified, statistical evidence, to meet the needs of children.”

The Wichita Eagle, reporting on Knox’s tirade against the press and the LGBT rights movement, said, “The bulk of research does not support the claim that gay parents are less equipped to raise children, according to Jennifer Pearson, a sociologist at Wichita State University. A survey by Columbia Law School found that 73 of 77 studies on the matter show that the children of gay parents fare no worse than their peers raised by heterosexual parents.”

Reaction to Knox’s email and web post was swift. The Eagle reports, “Tom Witt, executive director of the gay rights group Equality Kansas, said Knox ‘ignores reality and continues to cite thoroughly discredited reports to justify tearing children from safe, loving households and placing them in dangerous and abusive environments, such as the Schumm family in Topeka.’

“’He needs to stop politicizing gay and lesbian families and focus on what’s best for all children and families, not just those that live in the fevered imaginings of his fringe ideology,’ Witt said.”

Witt was referring to a Topeka family that was awarded custody of a child over a lesbian couple which had cared for the child for 11 months. The Associated Press reported, on December 2 that “ a Topeka city councilman and his wife were granted custody of a child over a lesbian couple from Wichita last year based on a recommendation from the state agency. The lesbian couple had cared for the child for 11 months.

“The Topeka couple, Jonathan and Allison Schumm, were charged in November with one count each of aggravated battery and four counts of endangering a child.”

The AP report said, “Rep. Jim Ward, a Democrat from Wichita, said he will ask the audit Dec. 10 when the Legislative Post-Audit Committee meets.”

On Wednesday, the AP reported, “Agency Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said Wednesday she welcomed the audit because she believed it would show that the department does not discriminate against same-sex couples.”

The Gayly – December 4, 2015 @ 9:30 a.m.