NPR - Utah Judge Orders Foster Child Removed From Lesbian Couple's Care

[The Evil Genius]

**** you Utah.

 

At least your GOP Governor disagrees with the ruling.

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/12/455758216/utah-judge-orders-foster-child-removed-from-lesbian-couples-care

 

 

A judge in Utah has ordered a lesbian couple to give up the infant foster child they were caring for, reportedly telling them that the girl would be better off living with a straight couple, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

 

Beckie Peirce, 34, and her wife, April Hoagland, 38, say they were taken aback on Tuesday when 7th District Court Juvenile Judge Scott Johansen ordered the girl removed from their care and placed in another home within seven days.

 

"He said through his research he had found out that kids in ... homosexual homes don't do as well as they do in heterosexual homes," Hoagland said in a Reuters video.

 

Johansen was questioned about that research by the Utah Division of Child and Family Services but provided no specifics, the couple said.

 

Mandie Torgerson, an attorney representing the baby's biological mother, also said Johansen did not cite the research he referred to, saying only that "myriad" studies support his order.

 

[Chew]

really?  SMH.

 

#Utah

[Elessar78]

That's sad. 

[The Evil Genius]

http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article44344251.html

 

Utah governor 'puzzled' by order to take baby from lesbians

[Predicto]

As I always do when our resident conservatives post stories that claim unfair persecution of conservatives (and usually turn out to be exaggerated), I will wait to see what else comes out before I take this story at face value.  Maybe they were just lousy foster parents?

 

But I must say that the initial impression is pretty bad - the Salt Lake Tribune is hardly a liberal media bastion, and it looks like all the state officials wanted them to get the kid.    

 

edit - and apparently this judge has a bit of a history of questionable rulings

[skinsfan1523]

If everything here is true, this judge is not fit to be in his position of power. If they are lousy parents or neglectful, fine, but if it is just because they are gay, this is plain discrimination.

[Redskin4ever]

I am a very conservative person, but this judge seems flat out wrong here.

If they are bad parents then that is why the child should be removed and their sexual orientation should not even be mentioned in the ruling.

If they are good parents and this judge is just applying his own beliefs to their situation, then he is wrong and should be appropriately punished.

I hate when judges use their own values instead of applying the law. Their job is to apply the law to the case at hand. Not apply their own opinion and beliefs to make laws they think should exist. I complain all the time when I see judges on the left do this. This guy appears to be in the same boat.

[The Evil Genius]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-judges-removal-foster-child-sex-couples-care/story?id=35156081

 

 

 

Seventh District Juvenile Court Judge Scott Johansen issued an order Tuesday that the Division of Child and Family Services remove a 1-year-old child from the home of a legally married same-sex couple within the next seven days, Utah DCFS Director Brent Platt told ABC News today.

 

“I wasn’t in court that day but it’s my understanding that the judge alluded to some research he had that led him to believe that children being raised in a home with same-sex couples don’t fare as well as other children,” Platt said.

 

 

 

“It had nothing to do with concerns with the foster parents or placement,” Platt said. “There are no concerns as far as the DCFS knows.”

[The Evil Genius]

Looks like the judge's orders have been reversed.

 

http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article44757867.html

 

 

A Utah judge has reversed his decision to take a baby away from her lesbian foster parents and place her with a heterosexual couple after widespread backlash.

 

Court officials on Friday released an order signed by Judge Scott Johansen that will allow the 9-month-old baby to stay with April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce.

 

It comes after Johansen said in court Tuesday that the baby would be removed from the couple's home. Utah officials and the couple filed court challenges demanding the judge rescind the order.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article44757867.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Predicto]

If everything here is true, this judge is not fit to be in his position of power. If they are lousy parents or neglectful, fine, but if it is just because they are gay, this is plain discrimination.

 

 

Discrimination against gays currently is not illegal in most states.  

[PleaseBlitz]

I'm guessing Utah elects its judges?

[Predicto]

I'm guessing Utah elects its judges?

 

 

Wouldn't make much difference.  If Utah didn't elect its judges, they would be appointed by the Church of LDS... err I mean by the Governor and Legislature.   

[PleaseBlitz]

Wouldn't make much difference.  If Utah didn't elect its judges, they would be appointed by the Church of LDS... err I mean by the Governor and Legislature.   

 

That's a good point.  

[grego]

'One million moms' going to protest this couple too?

[Larry]

Have to say, though. I'm surprised the judge changed his mind. I'm going to choose to give him props, for that. Assume that's not easy to do. Lots of folks would rather just dig in deeper.

[tshile]

At first I thought the judge's position should be questioned because, as others have pointed out, it sounds like he used his own personal opinions instead of the law to make his position. That seems like something that would qualify for maybe having him removed...

 

Now he's reversed his opinion because of... 'public backlash'? Well, he should probably lose his job for that, too.... i mean what the hell good is a judge if he's just going to change his own ruling because of 'public backlash'?

 

But I don't really know how all that works, so maybe I'm off the mark here...

[twa]

Is the judges choice much different than trying to place children by race preferentially?

 

If they are good foster parents it is wrong imo to remove the child unless you can clearly provide better.

 

probably a safer choice to remove the child because of their obesity.

[The 12th Commandment]

probably a safer choice to remove the child because of their obesity.

You know, twa, when you write stuff like that you put your position as a paragon of civilized conservatives in jeopardy.

 

Curious though, do you consider it safer for the judge or the kid?

[twa]

You know, twa, when you write stuff like that you put your position as a paragon of civilized conservatives in jeopardy.

 

Curious though, do you consider it safer for the judge or the kid?

 

 

Say what?

 

Both   ....and I like fat people(I even have a fat friend )