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Things are heating up in Arizona, where the state House approved Bill 2696, which, if passed into law, will require state and private adoption agencies to give married couples priority over singles in adopting children.
According to articles in The Arizona Daily Star by Howard Fischer and Jane Erikson, the bill states that Arizona’s Child Protective Services and the adoption agencies it contracts with can consider placing a child with a single adult “only if a qualified married couple has not submitted an application.”
There are several exceptions: if the single adult has a strong relationship with the child (for example, the single might be a grandparent) or if its deemed that a single adoptive parent would be in “the child’s best interests.”
Children thrive in two-parent homes
In Arizona, where 2,200 foster children are eligible for adoption, the fur is flying. Advocates of the bill claim that statistics show children thrive more in two-parent homes. One senator said that the likelihood of domestic violence increases in single-parent homes, where live-in boyfriends abuse the children.
Children would spend longer in foster care
Opponents of the bill say that a change in the law would result in more children spending a longer time in foster care. Even the gay-rights contingent has gotten in on the act, claiming that the bill discriminates against same sex-couples.
Ah, to live in an ideal world
In an ideal world, I suspect that two-parent families would be most people’s family structure of choice. However, we live in a less than ideal world, as demonstrated by the 2,200 foster children in Arizona awaiting adoption. I wonder why lawmakers don’t seem more concerned with placing each and every one of these kids in adoptive homes, regardless of whether the parents are married or single. Are there truly 2,000+ married couples waiting to adopt through the foster system and its affiliates? I’d like to see some statistics on that.
Real-life single moms
During the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know about a dozen Christian single adoptive moms. Before I met them, I stood firmly in the “couples should be given priority” camp. Now, I’m not so sure.
The single adoptive moms I know are some of the most committed moms I’ve ever met. They’re strong, capable women; they’re loving mothers who sacrifice more for their kids than I, in my cozy little two-parent family, ever dreamed of. I admire them and I’m even a little in awe of them. Mostly I’m proud that they’re willing to provide a loving permanent home for a child who otherwise wouldn’t have one. They’re moms first; single second.
Sources:
Arizona Daily Star
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/news/120993.php
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/121393
Moms first, single second. I like that.