A Vermont Christian couple say the state has threatened to revoke their foster parent status because of their stance on gender reassignment beliefs and gender reassignment treatment for the children in their care.
Melinda Antonucci, 44, and Casey Mathews, 42, say the state forced them to attend LGBTQ+ training discussing medical procedures for transgender children as part of their license applications.
The couple received their license in January and provided emergency care for one child for two weeks in February. That month, relations with the Vermont Department of Children and Families (DCF) began to become strained after Antonucci posted a link to a parental rights petition for the Essex-Westford School District on his Facebook page.
Antonucci said DCF began questioning the couple’s stance on gender issues a few weeks later, threatening to revoke their parenting permit if they did not adopt a gender-neutral philosophy. The couple refused to comply with the demands, and after not receiving any communication about the placement for several weeks, the parenting permit was effectively revoked in secret, he said.
‘Shameless targeting’: Biden administration imposes gender ideology on faith-based health systems with new HHS rule
Melinda Antonucci and Casey Mathews with their 5-year-old son. (offered)
Now the couple is fighting against state gender reassignment rules that appear to require parents to adopt a child.
“There were probably a lot of mixed emotions. In some ways we were angry and also very frustrated that we were trying to give something back, to try and do some good,” Antonucci told Fox News Digital.
“And we’re basically being told that we’re not qualified to do that because of our beliefs, DCF’s beliefs about gender ideology. And in my opinion, their beliefs aren’t really based in fact, they’re just their opinions. So they’re not allowing us to take in foster children. There are so many kids out there that need homes.”
The couple already have three children – a 19-year-old son, a 16-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son – but are looking to expand their family.. Last year, they began the process of becoming foster parents.
Melinda Antonucci and Casey Mathews say the state of Vermont is threatening to revoke their foster parents’ licenses because of their religious beliefs that oppose transgenderism. (offered)
When applying for licenses, they were asked about their views on transgender children and whether they would be willing to adopt an LGBTQ+ child. They said they would be willing to adopt, but were hesitant to assist with medical procedures and treatments.
Caregivers were also required to take part in training modules that taught them how to acknowledge their transgender children’s gender identity and support their children’s transition if that was what they wanted.
“They had us go through LGBTQ training, and a lot of the training was focused on medical intervention, but one training actually implied that sometimes medical intervention is better sooner than later,” Antonucci told Fox News Digital. “So, I don’t want to have a transgender child and have to consent to hormones and stuff like that. That was really the topic of discussion, and it was [DCF] I feel that very strongly.”
According to a 2023 email, Vermont foster care officials asked parents to take online training on “caring for LGBTQ children and youth.” (American Liberty Center)
EEOC Commissioner denounces new federal transgender rules as ‘attacking’ women’s workplace rights
Antonucci posted about the parental rights petition in February, asking the school district to recognize parents’ constitutional right to raise their children and to notify parents if the district would begin assisting a student with gender transition.
A few weeks later, DCF officials contacted her to ask about her public support for the petition.
According to a letter sent to DCF by the American Liberty Center, a nonprofit civil rights group representing the couple, officials then told Antonucci that her support for the petition was concerning because all foster homes must “acknowledge” children who identify as transgender.
Antonucci said the staff then “interrogated” her about her views on transgender children, including whether she would be willing to use their preferred name and pronouns and whether, if they adopted a transgender child, she would require her 5-year-old son to use the adopted child’s preferred name and pronouns. Antonucci said the couple did not comply.
“They asked where the petition came from and if we completely believed everything that was written in the petition. They were concerned that our family was not affirming their transgender children,” Antonucci told Fox News Digital.
“And based on that phone conversation, the license issuer told me that because this is my belief, they would probably have to revoke our license.”
“Then a few days later, the license issuer emailed me and told me that they had spoken to their manager and that they had to revoke my license because I would not adopt a transgender child or discuss ‘they/them’ pronouns with my son.”
According to emails provided by the couple’s lawyers, Vermont foster care officials said they would deny the couple a parenting license because of their stance on transgender children and pronouns. (American Liberty Center)
Vermont women’s basketball team banned after forfeiting game against team with transgender player
In an email to the couple, DCF said it was unsure how to navigate the foster care system “because we cannot predict a foster child’s identity journey.”
DCF told the couple they could choose to revoke his license or formally deny it. The couple told DCF they did not want to voluntarily revoke his license, but that formal notice was required if they wanted it revoked.
According to the couple’s lawyer, DCF has not yet told them whether it has followed through on its threat to revoke the employees’ licenses or if it plans to do so. The couple have not received any mail about potential foster children since May 10.
“Therefore, it appears that the Ministry has made the decision to remove Melinda and Casey from foster care without formally revoking their license,” the letter said.
Fox News Digital reached out to DCF but had not received a comment as of publication time.
The Center for American Liberty said in the letter that DCF violated the couple’s First and 14th Amendment rights.
Read the letter to Vermont – App users click here:
The group is calling on DCF to stop plans to revoke the couple’s foster parent license over their opinions and to end its discriminatory practices against the couple. They also want DCF to provide written confirmation that their licenses will not be revoked over their protected speech and religious beliefs, and to clarify that foster parents do not have to follow DCF-recommended treatment plans for transgender children.
“We simply cannot believe that these authorities’ actions are in the best interests of children,” said Mark Trammell, executive director of the Center for American Liberty. “It is outrageous and unlawful to deny children the opportunity to be placed in a loving home simply because a couple are sincere Christians.”
Antonucci told Fox Digital that he also recently ran unsuccessfully for school board seat, and said he didn’t know if his candidacy had anything to do with DCF’s recent actions regarding licensing.
She said she is not normally one to be outspoken about these issues, but her experience becoming a qualified foster parent has motivated her to be more vocal.
“I’m very concerned about this ideology that’s happening in our state and in our schools,” Antonucci told Fox News Digital. “When my son was 2 years old and in preschool here, they sent us a re-enrollment form and asked us what his preferred pronouns were. That’s when I really became aware of what was going on. Since then, I’ve kind of become more interested and more aware of what’s going on.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
“I think people need to know what’s going on because it’s crazy that they would do this to kids and push it on them and discriminate against us,” she said. “I think we’re good people wanting to do something good, but I just think things are really getting out of control.”
