Foster moms ask High Court to protect faith-affirming foster care Supreme Court will hear oral argument in case with far-reaching consequences for religious liberty

WASHINGTON– Foster moms, and single women of color, Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch, will be at the Supreme Court on November 4 defending their right to foster vulnerable children in partnership with an agency that shares their religious beliefs and values. For over 200 years, Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia has been supporting parents like Sharonell and Toni and finding loving homes for children in need. But in 2018, the City abruptly ended its decades–long partnership with the Catholic agency because of its 2000-year-old religious beliefs about marriage.  

Sharonell and Toni have asked the Supreme Court to defend the agency against the City’s religious discrimination so that they can continue fostering children and helping them break the destructive cycles of crime and addiction that often necessitate placement in foster care. On Wednesday, November 4, Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, will argue telephonically on behalf of Sharonell, Toni, and their foster agency, defending the right of religious ministries to serve their communities in accordance with their deeply held beliefs.  

What:
Oral Argument in Fulton v. Philadelphia 

Who:
Lori Windham, senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty 

When:
Wednesday, November 4, 2029 at 10:00 a.m. EST 

Where:
C-SPAN
https://www.c-span.org/supremeCourt/
Becket will host a press call at 12:30 p.m. EST.  

Press Call-in:
301-715-8592 (pin: 914-1188-8332) or join https://zoom.us/j/91411888332
Email questions in advance to media@becketlaw.org  

A Becket attorney will be available for comment immediately following the hearing.