Saying children do better in a home with a mother and a father, the state House voted Monday to give married couples preference when placing children for adoption.HB 2148 would overrule the existing practice of the Department of Economic Security that makes the "best interests of the child" the primary factor when considering placing a child for adoption. Instead, it would require the DES and agencies that contract with the state to give "primary consideration to placement with a married couple."
The DES could consider a single person "only if a qualified married couple is not available."
The measure is being pushed by Rep. Warde Nichols, R-Gilbert. He said married couples should be "moved to the head of the line" for adoption if they've gone through the certification process.
About the only new interesting twist is what they're all not saying, and while "what they're not saying" does admittedly provide acres of leeway for conjecture, one quote in particular makes it pretty clear what the point of this exercise really is. After pointing out several exceptions, including placing a child with an unmarried relative, or with an unmarried person who has established a meaningful relationship with the child, or with any qualified unmarried person if the alternative is extended foster care, Mr. Nichols sums up:
"This will not leave more children in the system at all," he said. "It just sets up a preference priority to say that, in the best interest of the child, they go to a married man and woman."
Ah yes, one man, one woman. C'mon, guys, just come out and say it already. You want to keep kids away from The Gay unless they're otherwise unadoptable. By the by, your no-confidence vote for single parents will also be very much appreciated by my single (and straight) neighbor, who adopted her son two and a half years ago and has been quite happily bringing him up with occasional assists from family and friends. You know, just like a "real" parent would.
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