Supreme Court rejects appeal from parents who lost custody of trans teen

[Jessica_Rose]

Supreme Court rejects appeal from parents who lost custody of trans teen

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/parenting/supreme-court-rejects-appeal-from-parents-who-lost-custody-of-trans-teen/ar-BB1k65Yf?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=493804174f77426daeab304304fc11d6&ei=16

Story by Maureen Groppe (18 March 2024)

WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court on Monday declined to decide if an Indiana couple who believe children should be raised based on their sex at birth should have lost custody of their teenager, a transgender girl.

The court, without comment, rejected an appeal from the teen's parents who'd warned that cases similar to theirs are likely to reoccur "due to developing conflicts between parents and their children concerning gender identity."

The state said the parents, self-described devout Christians, lost custody not because of their views but because of the medical necessity of addressing the teen's severe eating disorder.

The Coxes, who are identified in the court filings by their initials, said the state violated their parental rights, free speech and their free exercise of religion.

"M.C. and J.C. seek only to raise their children according to their religious beliefs and best judgment," they told the court. "This case is about the state taking a child from fit parents."

The Indiana Court of Appeals sided with the state and the Indiana Supreme Court declined to review the case.

"The Parents have the right to exercise their religious beliefs," the appeals court said, "but they do not have the right to exercise them in a manner that causes physical or emotional harm to Child."