Kansas Senator Criticizes Gay Rights, Media's Foster Care Coverage

A south-central Kansas lawmaker has sent an email to constituents criticizing media coverage of the rights of gay couples in the state's foster care system.

Republican Sen. Forrest Knox from Altoona said in the email sent Wednesday that the media prioritizes gay rights over the needs of foster children.

Knox chairs a special committee on foster care that last month reviewed research by Catholic priest and sociologist Donald Paul Sullins on the fitness of same-sex couples to foster.

Sullins' research has been disputed by scientific organizations, including the American Psychological Association.

Knox told the Wichita Eagle that he believes the research shows that traditional nuclear families best meet foster childrens' needs.

The Kansas Department of Children and Families has repeatedly said it does not discriminate against same-sex couples.