OAN’s Elizabeth Bolbelding
5:15pm – Monday, March 18, 2024
The Supreme Court declined to rule in a case involving an Indiana couple who lost custody of their teenage child, who identifies as a transgender girl. Parents strongly believe that children should be raised according to their biological sex rather than the opposite sex.
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The Supreme Court on Monday declined to rule on whether the parents of a child with gender dysphoria should lose custody of the teenager because the couple believed the child should be raised according to their gender.
The boy’s parents appealed, saying incidents like theirs were likely to happen again “due to the development of conflicts between parents and children over gender identity,” but the court rejected the appeal without making any comment. Dismissed.
Attorneys Mary Cox and Jeremy Cox of Anderson, Ind., argue that “the government may respond to a parent’s religious beliefs regarding gender identity by removing a child from the parent or by endorsing a particular belief in a divorce custody battle.” “There has been an increase in violent behavior, such as trying to stop children from being adopted, or preventing adoptions.” their appeal. “These incidents are definitely going to increase rapidly.”
Indiana authorities argued that the parents lost custody not because of their religious beliefs, but rather because of medical requirements that required treatment for the teen’s extreme eating disorder.
A provision in Indiana law that rivals laws in nearly every state tells courts that governmental action is prohibited in “a variety of circumstances in which even well-intentioned parents would be unable to prevent serious harm.” I was notified that it was approved. Indiana also argued that the custody dispute is no longer relevant because the boy, who was 16 years old when he was removed from his family, is now an adult.
In a statement after the Supreme Court’s dismissal, Mary Cox and Jeremy Cox called their child “our son” and said they never lost custody of the teenager because of their beliefs. “It will stay with us forever,” he explained.
“While we cannot change the past, we will continue to fight for a future where parents of faith can raise their children without fear of state authorities knocking on their door,” the Coxes said.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who is charged with defending the state agency, said he “sympathizes” with the parents, citing his work defending parental rights.
“We will always protect parental rights and religious freedom. Neither we nor the Indiana courts have ruled that the state should remove a child because of a parent’s religious beliefs, views on gender identity, or anything like that.” I don’t believe I can leave,” Rokita declared in a statement, adding that the teen’s “extreme eating disorder” was the driving force behind the state’s action, records show.
The case first began in 2021 after the teen’s “transgender status” was mentioned in two abuse and neglect reports received by the Indiana Department of Children’s Services. .
According to court documents, one parent accused her of “verbally and emotionally abusing” her child because she “did not accept the teen’s transgender identity.”
It was not reported whether the boy, a friend, family member, or someone else submitted the complaint.
After a hearing, the judge required the young man to receive treatment for his eating disorder, participate in family and individual therapy, and be removed from his parents’ custody. The state withheld charges of parental abuse and neglect, citing concerns that the boy’s eating disorder could worsen if the parents regained custody.
Parents were also told not to bring up transgender issues with their children outside of therapy sessions.
Cox’s parents argued that the state violated their rights to freedom of expression, the right to raise their children as they wished, and the right to practice their religion.
“MC and JC seek only to raise their children according to their religious beliefs and best judgment.” they said in court. “This case is about the state taking children from able-bodied parents.”
After the Indiana Court of Appeals sided with the state, the Indiana Supreme Court decided not to hear the issue.
The Court of Appeals declared that “parents have a right to exercise their religious beliefs, but they do not have a right to exercise their religious beliefs in a way that causes physical or mental harm to their children.”
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