Massachusetts is a blue state with a Democratic Governor, Maura Healey. It also has a major shortage of foster families and problems with abuse in group homes.
But rather than address the abuse and encourage people to become foster families, the state is persecuting Christian foster parents over their beliefs.
🚨EXCLUSIVE: In MA, ideology comes before foster kids.
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
Even with rampant abuse in group homes + a severe shortage of foster parents, the state is revoking licenses from Christians who won’t sign a pledge that violates their faith. 🧵 https://t.co/AMfKVoCGAT
Absolutely maddening.
Most states wouldn’t drive away devoted foster parents like Heath and Lydia Marvin, a couple in Woburn who have been fostering kids for the Department of Children and Families since 2021 — including complex cases like a baby born deaf, testing positive for various substances, and diagnosed with a genetic disorder.
A social worker for the agency gave them glowing reviews in a May hearing, according to a transcript I obtained from the couple’s lawyer. The social worker said she wished the department “had more similar foster parents, but we don’t, so it makes them really unique.” Not only did the Marvins stay by the baby’s side during months of hospital visits, they also helped the department achieve its ultimate goal: reuniting the baby with his birth mother.
But in April, despite the Marvins’ strong performance as foster parents, an agency with a chronic shortage of foster homes and long record of abuse at the group homes where too many kids end up instead revoked their license. The Marvins’ only sin: failing to sign a new requirement that conflicted with their traditional Christian views. The couple appealed the decision, leading to the May hearing, but lost.
Absolutely shameful.
The state has taken licenses from foster families who declined to sign a new foster parent agreement on religious grounds. The agreement requires they “support, respect, and affirm the foster child’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
DEI over children.
Massachusetts has an acute foster care crisis. The state also has the FIFTH highest rate of children in group homes and the FOURTH highest rate of abuse. There are ~8,000-9,000 kids in state foster care, but only about ~5,500 licensed parents. https://t.co/VV1aAplgeC pic.twitter.com/JpMYSHEzKZ
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
This is so sad.
When one family asked for a definition of "affirm," a DCF employee directed them to the department's LGBTQIA+ nondiscrimination policy which supports giving children "gender-affirming clothing, such as binders, packers, body shapers, bras, breast inserts, and similar items in a… pic.twitter.com/Z4xWhlVwBh
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
They really are awful, aren't they?
The Marvins, a couple from Woburn, got their license revoked in April because they wouldn't sign the new agreement. They previously fostered a newborn for 15 months who born deaf, testing positive for various substances, and diagnosed with a genetic disorder. They were in the… pic.twitter.com/AQlYUWerQG
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
The Marvins took care of medically fragile infants.
And this is how the state thanks them.
The Joneses, a couple from Northborough, also declined to sign the new agreement. They fear that their 17-month-old foster daughter will be taken away from them if their license is revoked. pic.twitter.com/rU5A0UBShT
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
That will do harm to that girl, but the Democrats who run Massachusetts don't care.
In a state that struggles to care for foster children, it’s foolish to turn away proven parents who have objections to a policy that only hypothetically applies to them. DCF is prioritizing ideological conformity over the well-being of children in need of loving homes.…
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
They hate Christians and children.
Other families are losing their licenses, or in fear of losing them. @ADFLegal and @MAFamilyInst filed a legal complaint on behalf of two of these families. Read more here: https://t.co/AMfKVoCGAT
— Carine Hajjar (@carinemhajjar) September 3, 2025
And -- mark this prediction -- this writer believes this same reasoning will be used to take biological children from all Christian parents in the not-too-distant future.
The article is behind a paywall, but I guess the couple on the right are Old-Order Mennonites. I know them from my own community, where they're the backbone of the foster care system, especially for infants. By far the most sought-after & reliable foster parents around here.
— Cogitatus Lutrae (@otter_blues) September 6, 2025
The state doesn't want reliable, loving foster parents. They want conformists who will toe the DEI line.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member