Written by Don Byrd
Plaintiffs represented by Americans United and the ACLU agreed to a deal with the state of Kentucky over allegations of improper promotion of religion with taxpayer funds. State-funded foster homes and child-care agencies – including Sunrise Children’s Services, a contractor for the Kentucky Baptist Convention formerly known as Kentucky Baptist Homes – have been the subject of a lengthy lawsuit questioning the boundaries of religious childcare services that receive public money.
In the settlement, which is still pending a judge’s approval, the state does not concede that any improper religious coercion took place. Sunrise, also, has consistently rejected the allegations of improper activity. Kentucky does agree, however, to establish safeguards to help prevent future abuses of religious liberty with taxpayer funds.
Here is a snippet from the AU press release lauding the agreement.
Despite a history of religious coercion, Sunrise has benefitted from massive taxpayer support. Since the case began in 2000, the Baptist-affiliated ministry has received substantially more than $100 million in government funds. In its 2011 fiscal year, the state paid $14.8 million of the ministry’s expenses of $24.7 million.
“Young people in need shouldn’t have to feel pressured to accept a certain set of beliefs in exchange for help, especially when state funds are involved,” said Bill Sharp, staff attorney with the ACLU of Kentucky.
For its part, Sunrise is not participating in the settlement agreement, and plans to challenge the agreement in court.
John Sheller, attorney for Sunrise, said it deserves a ruling in its favor. “That’s why we’re in the case,” he said, adding that the agency doesn’t object to aspects of the settlement. “The idea of coercing children in religious matters is something that Sunrise has never done from the beginning.”
But he said it does plan to raise questions about other parts — for example, the requirement that the state specifically provide the plaintiffs reports monitoring Sunrise’s compliance.
“We object to being singled out,” Sheller said.
You can read the settlement here. Among other things, it bars organizations taking state money from discriminating in any way based on the child’s religious views or participation in religious events. It also requires groups to have monitoring systems in place to assure that children are not being proselytized.
Stay tuned.
[Note: this post corrects an earlier version suggesting the settlement ended the lawsuit. In fact, Sunrise is challenging the agreement, which also still lacks judicial approval. Apologies for the error.]
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