The VA Board of Social Services is being pressured to change regulations that, if approved, could force state-licensed adoption agencies to include the option of placing children out for adoption to homosexual couples. The proposed change is up for public comment until Oct. 11.
Action Request: Please ask the Board to reject such a change that could force faith-based agencies and even birth parents to either abandon their principles or, in the case of the agencies, to close their doors. Details follow.
Background
Last April 20, the VA Board of Social Services voted 7-2 on a new set of regulations for private adoption agencies. Those regulations prohibited licensed agencies from “acts of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin to: 1) Delay or deny a child’s placement; or 2) Deny an individual the opportunity to become a foster or adoptive parent.”
However, the ACLU and Equality Virginia, a homosexual activist group, threatened to sue unless the Board extended the public comment to allow further debate on whether or not “sexual orientation” should be added to the list of protected groups who must be allowed to adopt children in Virginia. The Board agreed and is allowing a 30-day period of comment that will end on Oct. 11.
The Problem:
If this new proposal to include “sexual orientation” in the regulation is approved, all faith-based agencies could be forced to include adoption of children to homosexual couples as one of the options.
Such a provision would violate the deeply held beliefs of many such agencies as well as birth mothers about the nature of marriage, the family, and what is best for their children. As a result, if approved, it could force many faith-based agencies to close their doors rather than compromise their principles – as has already happened in states like as Massachusetts.
Action Request:
The Family Foundation has asked us to contact the Board of Social Services and urge them to reject any regulation that discriminates against faith-based child placement agencies. All comments must be received on or before Oct. 11, so do it now before you forget!
To do so, 1) Click here, 2) then click on “Enter a comment”, 3) then type “Preserve religious freedom” in the subject line, and finally, 4) type in and submit your comments.
By way of comment, you might commend the Board for its approval on April 20 of regulations that respect the conscience and beliefs of faith-based adoption agencies and birth parents with regard to marriage and the family as it affects child placement decisions.
Please conclude by asking the Board to reject any proposed changes that would discriminate against such agencies as well as many birth parents and force them to either violate their beliefs or, in the case of the agencies, to close their doors.
Thank You!
Dean
