Essay, Research Paper: Adoption Discrimination

Adoption Discrimination
In a world today, where nothing is no longer black and white people still view it as that and make ignorant decisions. Discrimination doesn t just lurk around dark corners, it thrives in the every day lives of all human beings. Adoption discrimination is just one of the injustices trapping innocent people. Whether it be a person wants to adopt a child of a different race, their disabled, homosexual or single, many people are denied the opportunity to take a child into their arms to call their own and give them a place to call home.
Couples or single parents have been through court battles for the sake of a child and all due to a stereotype that exists. All children should grow up in a perfect white picket fence home with healthy , heterosexual parents of their race. How many children are not adopted in California alone? Even if the person wishing to adopt are more than qualified to be parents, there are barriers set, aside from the preference the biological parent. Adoption agencies are sometimes blinded as to what may be truly best for the child. By law, the agencies are not allowed to delay or deny the placement of a child for adoption, or otherwise discriminate in making an adoptive placement decision, solely on the basis of the race, color, or national origin of the
adoptive parent or the child involved. (CA Family Code) Also, according to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), adoption and foster care agencies, public and private, are prohibited from imposing or applying eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out disabled individuals from becoming adoptive or foster parents. (ADA) Even if Acts are enforced through law, states are going to great lengths to prevent people with a certain criteria from adopting or being a foster parent.
Now there are two states that have banned homosexual couples the right to adopt children. Florida was the first, now Mississippi has moved to pass a bill that will keep gay couples from adopting children. An article states, That bill is of the assumption that anybody who's gay will abuse children. It saddens me to know that there are so many kids out there without any type of parent figure. Adoption agencies make it so difficult to allow the small amount of people willing to adopt aside from the requirements set by the birth parents by setting aside those who are not eligible in their own mind. In my own personal opinion, I think that there should be standards that need to be met by the person wishing to adopt a child.
In the United States, nearly 500,000 kids are in foster care and tens of thousands children are waiting for adoption. The median length of time is 2 years and 8 months a child waits to be adopted, children of minorities wait twice as long. Mr. McCain introduced a bill cited as Adoption Anti-discrimination Act of 1995 that was meant to eliminate discrimination towards racial, religious, or national origin as factor of prevention of being able to adopt. The act wanted help lessen the time of a child being adopted. I feel that there should be more added to the act to improve it and open doors for others. Anyone who is able to provide for the child, with a clean record, with some sort of clearance from their health care provider saying that they are capable to care for child, and enthusiasm to be parent should be eligible to adopt.
The ever changing face of America is allowing diversity to take over and mold our country into new ideals. Barriers are being broken down and bridges are being built. I feel that there are too many children out there deprived of any type of family because of the discrimination adoption agencies are using to prevent those who are qualified to adopt. People should not be
selected by race, religion or sexual preference, or (in some cases), disabilities.