January 10, 2005: The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear a case that challenged Florida's ban on gay adoption. The case challenging the Florida law was filed by the ACLU.

Steve Lofton and Roger Croteau, who are known to their five foster kids as "Dad and Rodge," have provided a happy, stable home for their family. Their kids are Frank, 14, Tracy, 14, Bert, 10, Wayne, 8, and Ernie, 5. When they were infants, Frank, Tracy, and Bert were placed with Steve and Roger by Florida's Department of Children and Families. Wayne and Ernie were placed with the family by the state of Oregon three years ago. Some of the children were placed with Lofton and Croteau when they were infants, and have never known another parent outside of their current family. The family has moved from Miami to Portland, but the Florida foster kids are still subject to Florida adoption laws because of the standard relocation agreement. The parents continued to received excellent marks for taking such good care of the children. However, these men cannot adopt their children because of Florida adoption law. Their son Bert has been deemed suitable for adotion- by heterosexuals. More about Bert

More info: Lambda Legal Overview of State Adoption Laws in the US as of 12/15/2004 | HRC's Legal Overview of Adoption Rights in the US | Too High a Price: The Case Against Restricting Gay Parenting | Let Him Stay | NCLR Statement | Lambda Legal Statement | Human Rights Campaign Statement | Equality Florida | We 2 Have Parental Rights | ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project | An Anti-gay foster care ban in Arkansas was overturned at the end of 2004.