DERBY, England — A British couple who have been foster parents for 18 children have been barred from future service because they refuse to tell children as young as 10 that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle.
Eunice Johns, a Sunday School teacher, and husband Owen say that to affirm homosexuality would go against their Christian beliefs, which they would not compromise.
Fostering children is highly controlled in Britain, and the couple’s local government council in Derby, England, insists that the couple must abide by the rules. City officials cited a British law that took effect April 2007 making it illegal for those providing a public service to discriminate against anyone because of their sexuality.
Eunice Johns says she advised the council that “as I am a Christian, I don’t believe in homosexuality.” Her husband said he couldn’t “understand why sexuality is an issue when we are talking about boys and girls under the age of 10.”
Derby councilwoman Sara Bolton described the couple’s situation as “an unfortunate one,” but she insisted: “These laws are in place for the good of the children in our care.”
The couple, who have four adult children of their own, have been fostering children for 12 years. (TAB)
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