The Board of Social Services should not allow discrimination against potential parents of children needing adoption.  There is no evidence that gender, national origin, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability, or family status has anything to do with the fitness of a prospective parent to care for a child.  More adoptive parents are always needed, but discrimination eliminates many stable, loving individuals from the pool of adoptive parents.  Screening prospective adoptive parents and placing children is a fundamentally governmental function.  Private agencies should not be allowed to discriminate when they are acting for the state.

Thank you for your time.