Adoption Regulations should be approved as proposed to protect prospective parents from discrimination by faith based agencies based on race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or political affiliation/

Protecting children, and prospective parents is a civil responsibility.  If a religious organization wants to participate, it should respect the law and not try to push religious dogma!

We support the proposed adoption regulations protecting potential parents from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, religious or political affiliation, race, color or national origin

I support adoption regulations including anti-discrimination protections for prospective parents based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation.

If it's all about the children and we (the adults) are really truly putting the children's needs first, then we have to support anti-discrimination protections.

Kids who are in the system just want to have a forever family.

There was a news show who looked into California state's policies towards inter-racial adoption (e.g., white family adopting black child). Their policies were (still are?) aimed towards placing kids with families of their own race. Well, the numbers don't lie -- there aren't enough black families adopting black kids out of the system. Agency representatives were interviewed, challenged -- they insisted it was the best policy for the welfare of the children.

Children who aged out of the system and those still in the system were also interviewed. Every single one of them said, on camera, they didn't care if they were adopted by a family of a different race. They just wanted a family.

If you personally are not opening your home and adopting kids, then I don't believe you have any right to impose your own views that would prevent someone else from adopting. These kids -- they just want their own family.

Let them have a family.

Currently, rules for adoption in Virginia protect against discrimination regardless of race, ethnicity and national origin.  I support reform of this anti-discrimination policy to also include protection for prospective adoptive parents regardless of sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, and political afilliation.  There are thousands of potentially wonderful parents who need this protection against discrimination.  Equally important, there are thousands of chidren in the foster care system in Virginia who need the opportunity to have loving and stable, forever homes.  Please reform the adoption rules in Virginia to increase these opportunities for thousands of parents and children!

If two loving adults, whether they are same-sex partners, two siblings, cousins or grandparents, want to share in the emotional and financial commitment to care for a child, they should be able to. For the sake of individual responsibility, we should be encouraging families to take on the role of raising children.  Too many children in Virginia are without a loving home, and that is something that is within your power to fix.  Studies have shown that children do better in two adult families, both emotionally and financially.  The financial and emotional sustainability and lifetime success of the child should be the priority in adoptions. We must end the outdated restrictions placed on who can adopt a child.

I support adoption regulations including anti-discrimination protections for prospective parents based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation.

As a lifelong citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I strongly urge our government officials to amend the current legislation and adopt more inclusive language to protect prospective parents based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation, which will end the discriminatory practices of certain private adoption agencies operating in our Commonwealth.  It is shameful that our state (with full knowledge) allows such discrimination and hatred to exist in our society.  The ultimate victims of this discrimination are the children who are denied a caring and loving home.  Any private placement agency that is unwilling or unable to abide by non-discriminatory policies should lose their license immediately.  There are several law abiding agencies that have the resources and capabilities to handle additional capacity should certain private placement agencies cease operations due to changes in the current regulations and this should not deter the Commonwealth from enforcing such expanded anti-discrimination protections for prospective parents. 

I wish that people would understand that everything in the biological world is diverse and that human sexuality simply reflects this biodiversity. I also wish that those who use religious texts to support their bigotry would also enforce other antiquated rules (such as killing one's wife is she is unfaithful, or that people who have flat noses and are blind or lame cannot go to the alter of God, etc) instead of cherry picking those that they find distasteful (e.g., homosexuality).

I'm also tired of being a productive tax paying VA resident who is NOT afforded the same rights as the rest of my fellow Virginians. In the 21st century, not being able to marry someone I love or adopt a child out of love in this state if you happen to be gay or lesbain is pretty pitiful. I, for one, am tired of bigotry, fear and ignorance being disguised as morality.

Patricia J. Lewis

Alexandria, VA

Adoption regulations should prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or political affiliation.

All adoption organizations must be subject to these regulations.

I am fully supportive of the original regulations and protections of those trying to adopt or foster. No one should be discriminated against based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation.

I urge you to prevent discrimination toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and couples who wish to adopt children.  The notion of a "traditional family" unit is very different in today's day and age, where 1/4 of kids are raised by single parents, 2.5 million families are headed by a single dad, and 1.5 million kids are raised by grandparents. However, these children grow up into responsible, healthy adults. With thousands and thousands of children needing homes, how can we deny people who want to be loving, responsible parents from having children just because of who they love, and destine these kids to remaining in foster care?

Use the Original Regulations

I am fully supportive of the original regulations and protections of those trying to adopt or foster. No one should be discriminated against based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation.

To whom it may concern:

1) The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

2) State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status

3) The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

Thank you.

I was raised in Virginia, educated at a Virginia University, and now I work in Virginia.  This state is home to me and my boyfriend.  We're both from here and trying to plan our lifes here.  It would be nice if our home state was inclusive of us and welcomed us as her citizens.  There is no reason a child in Virginia should be homeless or a ward of the state because of discriminatory laws.  Please work to make Virginia a better place and make sure children of Virginia have every chance at a loving home and higher education.

If two loving adults, whether they are same-sex partners, two siblings, cousins or grandparents, want to share in the emotional and financial commitment to care for a child, they should be able to.

My sister and I would be devistated if something happened to her grandchildren's parents and she and I were not allowed to adopt and take care of them.

We have enough children out there that need good homes, use the homes that offer help, instead of putting them in the system.

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To Whom It May Concern,

As an adoptive parent, I would like to register my opinion that the best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents.

State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.

The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

Respectfully submitted,

Michele Mattioli

Earlysville, Virginia

The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents.

State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.

The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

as an adopted child myself, i think it should be in the best interest of the child. 

I am fully supportive of the original regulations and protections of those trying to adopt or foster. No one should be discriminated against based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation.

Restore to the final rules all of the protections against discriination that were in the proposed rules.

Do not forget that the best interests of the child always come first.  State licensed agencies must put the interest of the child above their own religious, political or personal beliefs and agendas.

Faith-based agencies voluntarily seek State licensing to conduct adoption placements.  No one is making them seek this licensing, or requiring them to arrange adoptions.  If they wish to be doing so, they must assure that their priorities are in order.  Their priority is to find a placement in the best interest of the child, not to promote a religious or political agenda, or decide which loving and generous parents should be excluded from raising adopted children based on those loving parents' gender or religion.

The placement of a child should be in their best interest. There should be no discrimiation based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or family status. Think how many children would be denyed a loving and permenate home if you were to take out all of the possibilities for potential adoptive families. Does the potential family love, are they caring, will they provide for the child and respect them in their growth? These are the questions that should be asked

As a current adoptive and foster parent,  I think it's time we realize that we need to do what's best for children.  My children have the most wonderful respite home, that of a lesbian couple, who are the most loving and care women my children have had the pleasure of knowing and caring about. 

State licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to disciminate again children or prospective parents based or sexual orientation.  In addition all counties within the commonwealth should be held accountable to the same set of guidelines.  Roanoke City and Roanoke County will place children with gay/lesbian couples but Montgomery County will not. 

The state Board of Social Services should remember that our children are the most important issue and not religion, sexual orientation or financial standing within out community.  It's time the children receive the best care available.

As an adoptive parent, I strongly believe that the interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be place with prospective foster or adoptive parent(s).  

State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.  

The State Board of Social Services must restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination.

No one who can offer a loving, physically secure and healthful environment for a child should be prevented from doing so.  In particular restrictions based on the sexual orientation or gender identity of the prospective parents should be disallowed.

I write to encourage the State Board of Social Services to prohibit state-licensed child placing agencies from discriminating based on based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status in providing services to children and prospective foster care and adoptive parents. 

All children need and deserve loving, supportive homes.  Such homes come in diverse forms, but no one type of home has the corner on the market when it comes to loving children and providing them with a loving, nuturing environment.  It is tragic that there are so many children in need of foster and adoptive homes and it is not an easy task taking in a child in need.  I have 5 nieces and nephews who were first foster children and then adopted by my brothers and their wives and another foster nephew I hope can eventually join our family.  These are children who have been through horrible neglect and abuse.  They have found a loving, supportive environment and have thrived with my brothers and their families. 

Yet there is absolutely no reason these children would not have done just as well with a single parent, or with a same-sex couple.  These children just want to have someone in their lives who loves them and provides them with a stable, supportive environment in which to rebuild their lives.  All who are willing to provide this environment should be given equal consideration as adoptive/foster parents. 

There are plenty of frighteningly messed up, disfunctional nuclear families - some of my neices and nephews were placed in these disastrous homes before they came to my brothers' houses.  The sole factor in choosing placements should be the best interest of the children, not the labels placed on the prospective adoptive/foster homes by others.

I hope you will act in the best interest of Virginia's children in need by prohibiting discrimination in placement of foster and adoptive children. 

Sincerely,

Julie M. Sibbing

I

1) The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

2) State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status

3) The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

As a heterosexual,  I am in favor of gay and lesbian couples being allowed to adapt and have all other civil rights that married couples have.

Chris Walsh

I am writing to voice my support for the proposed anti-discrimination policy for state-licensed adoption agencies.  Such decisions should be based on the safest, most loving home for children in need, not on arbitrary and subjective judgments based on race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.  I expect state-licensed agencies to operate with fairness and equality and to base their judgments on the best interests of the children.  Thank you.

I support the original regulations and protections for those trying to adopt or foster.  State licensed adoption agencies should not be allowed to discriminate based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.  The best interests of children come first.  Faith based agencies voluntarily seek state licensing and are not forced to arrange adoptions.  Their priority should be the best interests of the child in their placement, and they should not be allowed to discriminate or promote their religious or political agendas.

I support adoption regulations including anti-discrimination protections for prospective parents based on sexual orientation, disability, age, gender, race, color, national origin, political or religious affiliation.

Children should be placed in loving stable homes regardless of who the parents or child are. Race, gender, sexuality etc. should not matter for adoption purposes.

As a Virginia native, and former Community Service Board employee in the state, I can attest that many versions of family do, and will continue to, exist.  These families, in addition to the numerous children making their way through our foster and adoption services, deserve equal opportunity and protections regarding adoption and foster parenting in this great state. 

Growing up with numerous children of gay parent's, I know in my heart, their childhoods' were not much different than mine.  The factors most important to me and my friends alike, were unconditional love, encouragement, and stability.  All things that may be provided by adoptive parents and foster parents, of all orientations.  To think, and more importanly implement policy, with anything other than these things in mind, does a great dis-service to the children in our social service program and the state as a whole.

I have had my chance to see many sub-par parents, many of whom could fit into one socially-imposed classification, yet this board would never write their policy to prohibit that group from adopting/ fostering.

Please don't be bullied by a vocal, and ignorant minority into keeping children in need from their (potential) loving and supportive homes

Children need parents and should not be denied them because of an agency's or individual's prejudice.

1) The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

2) State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status

3) The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

Our nation has been too long hostage to Puritan scam, fraud, and false ethics. We must start on a new path, where real crimes like rape, pædophilia, and violent spousal abuse become the proscribed sins, while stable homes with loving partners or spouses become a platform for the recovery of Virginia and the USA. The public moral should only discourage blatant sexual performance in public, not force people into unacceptable choices of life partners. Those who intend to participate in the home should choose each other, not be chosen by outsiders such as churches, neighbours, courts, or clueless and non-participating family members. We should all be free to choose who we establish a consenting adult household with.
 

If anyone is 'dæmonised', it should be the rapist, burglar, pædophile, spousal abuser, or arsonist, not a neighbour couple who pull their blinds down and shut their doors before sex - regardless of the gender of the partners. Find out why railroads choose who they do for conductors and ticket agents; see why others have ditched the homophobic scam and accepted all neighbours who keep their clothes on in public and aren't stealing from or raping other people. We need to go forward to efficient connection with all citizens, not go back to semi-theocratic madness of the past. All peaceful faiths should have a chance in our nation, with only vicious, violent, or outright fraudulent scams pretending to be faith excluded. We need to mature as a society and extirpating such filth as homophobia, caste, and 'cliques' should be a major trend in our new direction.

 The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

2) State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status

3) The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

My daughter knows no discrimination, but if you took her two mothers from her it would be clear to her.  Love is blind and if you doubt it, you are welcome to my home, my child's school and all of our extended family's homes to see otherwise.

We elect you to do the right thing, don't play politics with family.

Adoption regulations should prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or political affiliation.

All adoption organizations should be subject to these regulations.

I support the original regulations and protections for those trying to adopt or foster.  State licensed adoption agencies should not be allowed to discriminate based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.  The best interests of children come first.  Faith based agencies voluntarily seek state licensing and are not forced to arrange adoptions.  Their priority should be the best interests of the child in their placement, and they should not be allowed to discriminate or promote their religious or political agendas.

There are so many children in need of good safe homes and so few good households willing and able to provide such care. Preventing discrimination against race, color, and national origin alone is insufficient and unacceptable. If an adult is capable of providing a loving, safe home for a child and both the child and the adult are willing to overlook race, color, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or family status, the licensee should not have the liberty to impose his or her personal beliefs on the viability of the match.

1) The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

2) State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status

3) The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

I implore the agency to consider that banning discrimination against LGBT parents furthers the best interests of the child.  Furthermore, allowing discrimination is a slap in the face to thousands of LGBT Virginians who have raised and are currently raising wonderful children.       

There is no evidence that such discrimination is beneficial to the child.  Research consistently shows that LGBT parents can and do provide loving, supportive homes for children, and it would be a crime if even one child were denied the security of such a home because the state allowed the discrimination to occur.  

1) The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

2) State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status

3) The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

I believe that the best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents. State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status. The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

First, thanks for this opportunity to address the State Board.

Secondly, the best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents

Third, state-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.  To discriminate would go against what we believe and hold dear as Virginians and as Americans.

Finally, The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.  Private or religious agencies receiving public funds must acknowledge and obey civil rights and civil laws as they are enshrined in our US Constitution.

Sincerely,

Robert Oliver

Suffolk, Virginia

The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents.

State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.

The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules.

Please do not let sexual orientation be a reason prevent children from being placed in loving homes.

I support the reconsideration of the rules and approval of the rules to the Social Services regulations regarding adoption which prohibit discrimination.  For many years, individuals who were gay have been able to adopt in Virginia.  I believe this policy affirms and makes consistent a practice which has occurred in Virginia for many, many years although not necessarily in all jurisdictions or by all agencies.  I have witnessed many gay individuals do a wonderful job in raising children- their own, foster children, and adoptive children.  The obstacles they face are many, but they often persevere inspite of all those issues.  Having worked many years in foster care, I know they have often been available to adopt children in foster care that no one else was willing to adopt. 

The best interests of the child should be the most important issue to consider.  There should be consistency across the state. 

Please adopt those new rules. 

The Board of Social Services should institute rules that prohibit discriminating based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status in providing services to children and prospective foster care and adoptive parents. 

State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status.

Loving homes come in a variety of ways.  A loving, committed couple with strong ethics can provide a stable home to a child.  It does not matter if the couple is homosexual or heterosexual.   There are many gay couples who have raised wonderful, well-adjusted children.  Please do not put into law a prohibition against gay couples who would like to adopt.  Research and empirical data suggest that children are not harmed just because Mommy and Daddy are not Mommy and Daddy.  To add this prohibition is strictly discrimination against a productive segment of our population and does nothing to benefit or protect homeless children.   There are enough protections in the adoptive process to weed out undesirable prospective parents.   Sexual orientation should not be one of them.