From the article:

On October 3, 2012, attorney Mark McMillan filed a petition on behalf of the Department of Children and Families seeking a ruling that Marotta is the father of Schreiner’s child and owes a duty to support her. [...] Ms Bauer and Ms Schreiner, who separated in 2010, plan to help Mr Marotta fight the state’s decision, saying they are ‘forever grateful’ for the child he gave their family.

So this is the state suing the biological father for support, not the lesbian couple. That’s not obvious from the headline.

Can’t make this stuff up…...............

#3, How true! #2 It is indeed very odd that the state (ie Kansas taxpayers) are suing the sperm donor for child support. And since when are sperm donors “registered”? I am guessing they did not go thru a sperm bank but found this man online and took a chance by having a physician do the insemination. 

Slightly edited by elf.

I read some of the article; it appears that one of the legal problems is that they did not employ a physician.

Parentage via Craig’s List, sigh.

This sounds like a truly messed-up situation. They have 8 children and split up. One of them applied for public assistance to help provide their basic necessities. Since they don’t recognize same-sex relationships, the state can’t go after the other lesbian for reimbursement so they’re going after the sperm donor?

The only positive here is that the publicity from this case may cause men to NOT become sperm donors!

This is truly messed up on numerous levels.

#6 - you are so very right!  On the one hand, there is this stupid societal ‘we want it both ways’ thing:  Lesbians may marry each other and it is an entirely valid state-sanctioned relationship - and they can have children, parenting them without outside influence; on the other hand, we want the biologic father to pay to the results of the dissemination of his sperm (truly, no pun was intended there).  It is reprehensible!

However, it is really more reprehensible that our society and our basic fallen natures have so dissociated semen from fatherhood.  In truth, I hope the State is successful because it would put legal precedent down for maintaining the link between the male sex cell (sperm) and the child it participates in engendering.

Nevertheless, truly a wacky case!

It’s what happens when you build something on a lie.  It’s what happens when you pretend that same sex families are the same thing as opposite sex families. And it’s what happens when you pretend that father’s are not necessary, both for procreation and the care and nurture of the child.  It’s what happens when society has lost its mind.