Posted: Sunday, July 19, 2009, 10:15 (BST)
Dr Sheila Matthews, who has been a medical adviser to the Council’s adoption panel for five years, said she believed it would be “inappropriate” to place children in a household with same sex parents.
“Using my professional judgement and having done a lot of reading around the subject, I am satisfied that there are research findings which support my position that a same sex partnership is not the best family setting to bring up children,” she said.
“Therefore professionally and personally I cannot recommend placement in a same-sex household to be in the best interest of a child, despite what politicians may have legislated for, and as those on the panel have a legal obligation to do what they believe is in the best interests of the child, then I cannot support a recommendation with which I do not agree.
“This conflicts with my professional, religious and personal integrity.”
Dr Matthews was told in April by the Council’s Head of Services for Children, Young People and Families, Martin Pratt, that she could no longer be on the panel and that another medical adviser would be found to replace her.
She has sought advice from the Christian Legal Centre. Its director Andrea Minichiello Williams said her case was another example of “how a well respected professional who holds conscientious views on sexual practice, informed by Christian faith, is being asked to choose between her faith and her job”.
Ms Williams said new legislation designed to prevent discrimination was “having the opposite effect”.
“And devout Christians are suffering the consequences,” she said. “This is not the mark of a free and civilised society where freedom of speech and religion is carefully guarded.”
Also:
Christian doctor is axed from panel over failing to back gay adoption Mail Online
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The paediatrician had asked to be allowed to abstain from voting in cases involving same-sex couples.
But that led to her being barred from the panel altogether.
The married mother of one said she had been 'made to pay for being honest and upholding my personal integrity'.
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Dr Sheila Matthews
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For the past five years she has analysed medical examinations of prospective adoptive parents on behalf of the panel to establish whether the candidates were healthy enough to provide longterm care for a child.
Dr Matthews would then take part in the vote to decide if the candidates should be approved.
In the past, Dr Matthews had abstained from votes on same-sex parents.
But in February a homosexual couple applied to the panel - the first to do so following the introduction of equality legislation at the end of last year.
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Dr Matthews was happy to interpret for the panel the couple's medical assessments but was barred from participating after saying she would abstain from voting.
Northamptonshire County Council told her she had been replaced on the panel because of the ' significant problems' her views created for the adoption service.
In a letter she was told that her stance went against complying with the law and would not help the council attract the widest range of suitable adopters.
She has appealed against the decision and says she may be forced to go to an employment tribunal on the grounds of religious discrimination.
The Christian Legal Centre is backing her case and has referred it to Paul Diamond, a leading religious rights barrister.
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More than 3,200 children were adopted in England last year - 90 by gay couples.
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Doctor faces sack for refusing to back gay adoptions - Telegraph
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As part of her duties as a community paediatrician in Kettering Dr Matthews has for the past five years conducted medical examinations of prospective adoptive parents in order to establish whether they are fit and healthy enough to provide long term care for a child.
She presents her findings to one of Northamptonshire's two adoption panels, made of up councillors, social workers and lay persons.
Following a discussion a vote is taken on whether the applicants should be recommended as suitable to become adoptive parents.
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A few days later she received a letter from Mr Pratt informing her of the council's decision to replace her on the panel because of the "significant problems" her stance created for the adoption service.
The letter stated: "There are three concerns that I have: that we have to comply with the law, that we attract the widest possible range of suitable adopters and that we comply with our own policies.
"I believe that we could not allow a panel member to continue to participate in the process who is unable to consider, on the merits of the application alone, applications to adopt."
Dr Matthews, who is not paid for her role on the adoption panel but carries it out as part of her job as a community paediatrician, has now written to Northamptonshire County Council asking it to reconsider its decision.
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She said: "I have no wish to impose my views on others. I only wish to be able to abstain from panel votes.
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Christian doctor clashes with adoption authorities - Fenland Today
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As a professional doctor for the past 28 years and as a Christian, she said she believes that a household with same-sex parents is not the best environment in which to raise children.
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"Therefore professionally and personally I cannot recommend placement in a same-sex household to be in the best interest of a child, despite what politicians may have legislated for, and as those on the panel have a legal obligation to do what they believe is in the best interests of the child, then I cannot support a recommendation with which I do not agree."
WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED.
To think I gave many years of my life to the protection of the country and her interests only to find when leaving the military that it was not what I thought I was fighting for.
Christians are fair game, muslims are not , I mean God forbid if anyone ever says anything about a Pakistani muslim, even using the abbreviation of Pakistani is now considered racist.
Wot until the left have everything they want.
mmmmmmmmmm
only one problem they have been sticking up for these Pakistani Muslims for years but they too have been sticking up for homosexuals.
Well when those Pakistani Muslims take over areas and they have done the homosexuals will be wishing they had Christians around as these muslims are not too tolerant of homosexuals.
For evidence look at Holland, Denmark etc
This is where the left is so messed up.
The left stands for homosexuals but they too stand for radical Muslims, but women’s right groups stand with the left.
One problem those homosexuals and women’s rights will be nothing if that other group(Muslims) get into power.
The UK is still there to be taken back but now for the first time radical Muslims groups calling for the overthrow of America and wanting to make this country go under sharia law .
A small step for them but a step never the less.
No surprise it was held in Chicago and now bozo is in they can come over here and acquire visa’s.
Well done lefty sheep, well done
ARF