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March 17,2003
Editorial: Children's rights could be at stake
Texas House Bills would leave children without parents

A Stroll-In Rally was held March 13 at the University of Houston campus challenging two bills that have been filed with the Texas Legislature discriminating against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders from becoming foster and adoptive parents.

House Bill 194 was filed Nov. 15 by Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, to block gay, lesbian and bisexual men and women from providing secure and loving homes to children in foster care.

If passed, this anti-gay foster care bill would allow the State of Texas to investigate the sexual orientation of current foster parents and applicants applying to be foster parents.

If the state finds a current foster parent or applicant to be gay or lesbian, the bill says the state would be prohibited from:

  • allowing the applicant to serve as a foster parent; or
  • placing a child or allowing a child to remain in foster care with the foster parent whose performance is being evaluated.

    This bill would remove children from long-term foster care based on these findings.

    Why should children be pulled from homes where they are receiving love and security to be placed in crowded facilities waiting for another home along with thousands of other children?

    House Bill 916, filed Feb. 12 by Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, would prohibit same-sex couples from adopting children. This anti-gay adoption bill says, "A petition for the adoption of a child by more than one person may be filed by only one man and one woman."

    Both bills will take effect Sept. 1 if passed. Any adoption filed before Sept. 1 under bill 916 "is governed by the law in effect on the date the suit was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose."

    What are our Texas legislatures thinking by introducing these bills? They are obviously not thinking about the welfare of our children. Instead of using rational judgment based on facts, our Texas representatives seem to be basing their decisions, important decisions, on their own personal homophobic beliefs.

    There are plenty of facts to consider when looking at these bills. A Put Children Before Politics In Texas organization pamphlet, handed out at the Stroll-In Rally, provides a list of reasons to oppose HB 194 and 916. It states that "HB 194 will cost an additional 16 million dollars a year and $80 million in the next 5 years."

    Both bills would require additional funding, money that could be used to provide better care for children already in the foster care and adoption system.

    Texas is facing a substantial budget shortfall for the next biennium; this needless bill funding only wastes our taxpayer money.

    Here are some numbers provided in the pamphlet:

  • In the State of Texas 43,000 children are abused each year.
  • Every 12 minutes a child is abused or neglected.
  • About 20,000 children are left without a foster placement each year.

    These numbers speak for themselves.

    The pamphlet goes on to say that "research indicates that gays and lesbians are no better or worse at parenting than their heterosexual counterparts."

    How do these bills solve any problems in the foster care system?

    According to the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby of Texas, research shows that "children raised by gay or lesbian parents exhibit the same level of emotional, cognitive, and social functioning as children raised by heterosexual parents."

    People that are against gays and lesbians adopting children claim that the "traditional family" is deteriorating. There is no evidence that supports this opinion.

    What is a traditional family anyway? Is it a family with two parents? Many children are raised in one parent heterosexual families. What is the difference Ð love is love.

    Texas children need people to speak for them. Lobby for the rights and futures of our children; contact your state legislatures.

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