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From: LGH@BROWNVM.BITNET (Lynn Hughes)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: adoption
Message-ID: <15935@handicap.news>
Date: 2 Jun 91 12:04:41 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.isc-br.com
Reply-To: LGH@BROWNVM.BITNET (Lynn Hughes)
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Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 15935

Yes, indeed, there is a two-tier system for adoption in this country.
"Desireable" children, which means healthy, white, babies, are reserved
for "desireable" parents, meaning healthy, white, well-to-do, married,
and in a particular age range. Other parents-- including handicapped,
single, poor, too old, too young, etc.-- are considered for "hard-to-place"
children-- older, handicapped, non-white, etc. Racist? Discriminatory?
Unfair? You bet. Unfortunately this system seems to be deeply ingrained
in both the public and private adoption networks. To the extent that the
factors that make someone desireable or undesirable are irrelevant to
the success of the adoptive relationship, they are discriminatory; to the
extent that they are legitimate, the system works to ensure that the
children with the greatest needs go to the parents least able to meet them.
The whole system is in drastic need of reform.