Researcher Who Studied Same-Sex Parenting Cleared of Misconduct Charges

A European poster promoting same-sex marriage and parenting.

The University of Texas has dismissed a scientific-misconduct charge that was brought against a researcher whose study showed that children raised by same-sex parents suffered negative results. 

Mark Regnerus had published an extensive study in Social Science Research, refuting previous claims that children of same-sex parents had no special problems. His study prompted angry reactions from homosexual activists, and one critic charged that Regnerus had engaged in scientific misconduct by pursuing his research.

After a preliminary inquiry, a panel of faculty members at the University of Texas concluded that there was “insufficient evidence to warrant an investigation” of Regnerus. The panel observed that while others might disagree with the conclusions of the Regnerus study, such disagreements are a normal part of academic debate, not evidence of scholarly misconduct.