Members of the Board of Social Services,

I was recently made aware of a proposal before the Board that will allow discriminatory practices by Adoption Agencies.  Children, not politics, must come first! Non-discrimination regulations will make Virginia a better place for children in need of a permanent home and maintaining openess of thought diversity is essential to maintaining the American Dream.

I am a voter in Virginia, and feel that all children deserve a loving, permanent family. Currently, there are more than 1,000 children waiting to be adopted in Virginia. Decisions about prospective parents should be based on the best interest of the child, not on discriminatory factors unrelated to good parenting.

When agencies act in the stead of the state, they should be bound by principals of non-discrimination even if they are private agencies. 

Please prevent adoption agencies from discriminating against prospective adoptive parents based on gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability, or family status. All children deserve the right to a family who will love them and the categories above will not determine the love a child receives from a family who wants them to join in thier life journey.

Sincerely,

E.Green, Arlington, VA