Uniform Adoption Act
HalfHeart
Please visit http://www.bastards.org/activism/state.htm
If you support this statement and would like to add your name and
email address to the list below, send them along with your state of
residence (and birth, if an adoptee) to da...@bastards.org
And please feel free to share this statement with your local state
legislators, this is an open press release.
STATEMENT REGARDING THE UNIFORM ADOPTION ACT
We, the undersigned, are adopted adults, their spouses or significant
others, siblings, and children. We oppose the Uniform Adoption
Act (UAA) because the Act abridges the rights of adult and minor
adoptees and because the Act is clearly not in the best interest
of children who are adoptees or potential adoptees. The statements
below are our responses to the specific provisions of the UAA.
Article 2 (Adoption Of Minors), Part 2 (Preplacement
evaluation), Section 2-204(b) (Determining Suitability To Be
Adoptive Parent), Which states: "If an evaluator determines that
the information assessed does not raise a specific concern, the
evaluator shall find that the individual is suited to be an
adoptive parent."
Statement: We believe that the preplacement evaluation process
for prospective adoptive parents should focus on finding the home
best suited for the adoptee. Declaring adoptive parents to be
suitable by virtue of no overt or specific concerns does not
adequately protect the interests of the adoptee. We feel that
adoption should not be a process focused on finding children for
adults who want them; it should be focused instead on finding the
best possible home for each individual child. In the preplacement
process, the interests of the adoptee should outweigh the interests
of the prospective adoptive parents. Proper safeguards should be
implemented to ensure that prospective adoptive parents meet more
suitability criteria than: 1) simply having the money necessary to
pay the associated legal costs, and 2) having no overt signs of
potential neglect or abuse.
AND
Article 2, Part 4 (Consent To Relinquishment For Adoption),
Section 2-406(d)(1) (Content Of Consent Or Relinquishment), Which
states: "An understanding that after the consent or
relinquishment is signed or confirmed in substantial compliance
with Section 2-405, it is final and, except under a circumstance
stated in Section 2-408 or 2-409, [Stepparent adoption] may not be
revoked or set aside for any reason, including the failure of an
adoptive parent to permit the individual executing the consent or
relinquishment to visit or communicate with the minor adoptee;"
We believe that it is not in the best interests of adoptees,
birth parents, nor society as a whole to allow adoptive parents to
dishonor specific agreements entered into with a birth parent
regarding visitation. Should the birth parent(s) and the
prospective adoptive parents enter into a visitation agreement,
the agreement should be as binding as any other type of agreement
or contract. Permitting adoptive parents to revoke previously
agreed-upon visitation rights without proper legal process allows
adoptive parents to mislead birth parents into relinquishing their
children under false pretenses. Any properly crafted agreement
between the birth parent(s) and prospective adoptive parents
regarding visitation should be honored as would any other type of
visitation agreement.
AND
Article 2, Part 4, Section 2-408(a)(1), Which states: "Within
192 hours after the birth of the minor, a parent who executed the
consent notifies in writing the prospective adoptive parent, or
the adoptive parent's lawyer, that the parent revokes the consent,
or the parent complies with any other instructions for revocation
specified in the consent;"
More safeguards should be in place to help prevent the
coercion of birth parents into relinquishment of their children.
We believe that the 192 hour period in which relinquishment can be
revoked by the birth parent is, in itself, insufficient to
safeguard the birth parent against duress or coercion. We
recommend that adequate counseling of the birth parent be an
integral part of the adoption process. The the counseling should
attempt to determine if the birth parent has been coerced into
believing that he or she is unable or unfit to parent the child
when, in fact, that is not the case. Our societal bias against
single (or poor) parents, for example, should not be used as a
sole justification for applying duress, coercion, or inappropriate
persuasion, however "well-meant," to the birth parent to facilitate
relinquishment. Counseling of both birth parents and prospective
adoptive parents should take place to emphasize the importance of
accurate and adequately updated adoption records, even in cases
where the adoption is to be closed.
AND
Article 3, (General Procedure For Adoption) Part 8, (Birth
Certificate) Section 3-802(f). Which states: "Upon request by an
individual who was listed as a parent on a child's original birth
certificate and who furnishes appropriate proof of the individual's
identity, the [Registrar] shall give the individual a noncertified
copy of the original birth certificate."
This should be expanded to include the right of adult adoptees
to receive and/or review a certified copy of their own original
birth certificate, and should not, under any circumstances, be
abridged. All other American citizens have the right to receive
and/or review a copy of their own original and unaltered birth
certificate; this right should not be abridged for any adult based
solely on adoptive status.
AND
Article 6 (Records Of Adoption Proceeding: Retention,
Confidentiality, And Access), Section 6-102(d). Which states:
"All records on file with the court must be retained permanently
and sealed for 99 years after the date of the adoptee's birth.
Sealed records and indexes of the records are not open to
inspection by any person except as provided in this [Act]".
We believe that all adult adoptees have the right to review
all information regarding their birth and adoption, to be aware
of their adoptive status, and to have any other rights necessary
to ensure full and complete access to such information and/or
records regardless of the source. The interests of society as a
whole are not served, nor are the rights of individuals honored,
when personal information that is basic and fundamental to human
experience is legally withheld from the adult to which it applies.
The right of the adult adoptee to know the truth of his or her birth
circumstances, genetic and medical history, and heritage outweighs
the desire of adoptive parents or birth parents to keep this
information unavailable. Such concealment is inappropriate, and
should be unenforceable, when the adoptee reaches the age of
majority.
[Article 7, Sec. 7-101, 102, and 105]
The civil penalties and fines specified in the UAA are
inadequate to protect the rights of birth parents and adoptees.
The Act does not prevent an adoption from proceeding if actions
specifically prohibited in the UAA occur. This will encourage
violation of the provisions of the UAA; persons who can afford
to do so may simply regard the fine as an additional cost
associated with the adoption.
[Article 7, 7-106]
We believe that an adoptee has committed no crime if he or
she deduces, on his or her own initiative, any of the information
contained in the sealed adoption records if the adoptee has not
gained illegal access to the record. Any adult citizen should
have the right to know who his or her birth parents are if he or
she so desires. To declare acting upon such a natural and
inalienable right to know to be a felony is unconscionable.
GENERAL CONCLUSION:
The UAA is clearly written in the interests of adoptive
parents and their attorneys. It does not adequately address nor
protect the interests of the child and puts considerable hardship
on the birth parents, particularly the birth mother. The Act
abridges the natural rights of adult adoptees.
The UAA also fails to address any of the historical problems
associated with closed adoptions and fails to acknowledge or
accommodate the concerns of the growing number of individuals
who choose open adoptions. Specifically, it nullifies the legal
visitation rights that may have been part of an open
adoption, permitting adoptive parents to encourage relinquishment
of children under false pretenses. Contact between the child and
the birth parent, when agreed to by all parties in the adoption,
should not be legally thwarted. There is no valid reason to
believe that such contact between an adopted child and his or her
birth parent(s) is, in and of itself, harmful to any of the
parties. Open adoption choices and agreements, when properly
entered into, should be honored by law. Birthparents and adoptive
parents who choose this type of agreement have the right to be
allowed to do so, and their adoption agreements should be honored.
The UAA encourages and gives weight of law to the treatment
of adult adoptees as second-class citizens, denying them the
fundamental human right to know their birth origins and
circumstances. There is no more basic a question to members of
the human species than "Who am I," or "Where did I come from?"
The Uniform Adoption Act is an attempt to seal the answers to
these questions beyond the lifetime of the individual. To some,
the answers are not important, but to all persons these answers
should be legally obtainable.
SIGNED;
Jeff Hartung, Administrator, California - har...@crl.ucsd.edu
David J. Winge, California - half...@aol.com
Douglas B. Henderson, Wisconsin - dhen...@uwspmail.uwsp.edu
Rosemarie Ventura, New York - aa...@freenet.buffalo.edu
Colette Elizabeth Grillo, Virginia
Grace Larsen, Utah - sunshin...@m.cc.utah.edu
Eric J. (Archer) Roach, South Dakota - sfsrg...@aol.com
Maureen Pirc, Idaho - mt...@aol.com
Lisa M. Knippen, Illinois - sin...@aol.com
Donna Denoncourt, Illinois - mud...@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu
William G. & Laura Green, New York - wg1...@albany.albany.edu
Janet Eileen Bray, Georgia - jb...@uga.cc.uga.edu
Daniel L. Noe Sr., Wisconsin - plato...@aol.com
Bev J. Adams, California - fra...@aol.com
Denise Kristina Fuller-Castellucci, California - sav...@best.com
Shirley C. Boice, Texas - nob...@aol.com
R. Kelly Matchett-Morris, Oregon - kmo...@oregon.uoregon.edu
Carrie E. Bodensteiner, Oregon - bod...@mtjeff.com
Susan E. Friel-Williams, Colorado - lazn...@aol.com
Vicki Jean (Byrd) Mueck, Texas - vmu...@tenet.edu
Susan Lang, Connecticut - suel...@aol.com
Valerie Antkowiak, California - val...@aol.com
Lee Morrow, New Jersey - lmo...@imc.com
Karen Lee Brooks, California - unama...@aol.com
Jeanne Mayo, New Hampshire - jeann...@unh.edu
Cynthia Daun Smith, Texas - c...@odin.mda.uth.tmc.edu
Kristen Schultz, Minnesota - ksc...@uhc.com
Linda Butenhoff, Minnesota - upp...@aol.com
Michael E. Zwick, California - mez...@ucdavis.edu
Phil Bowman, Montana - lar...@selway.umt.edu
Brad Seely, Nevada - b...@bio.bu.edu
Melissa Kimberly, California - mkim...@aol.com
Maurice Weitman, California - m...@mo.com
Roger Smith, California - rog...@tcoe.k12.ca.us
Heidi Hiemstra Thackeray, New York - hh3...@american.edu
M. Patricia Hodge, Florida - s...@dnaco.net
Diana E. Inch, Washington - di...@u.washington.edu
Carolyn Burns, Washington - cjb...@cclink.fhcrc.org
Jason A Rosenwasser, California - jlo...@aol.com
Amanda Dever-Giebitz, Texas - amanda_dev...@pc.radian.com
Eric Anderson - eric_a...@pc.radian.com
Dan Chaon, Ohio - dd...@po.cwru.edu
Jonathan R. Borel, Colorado - jborel1...@cos91.csd.loral.com
James M. Kavitsky, Connecticut - kavi...@hsi.com
Betsie Norris, Ohio - bl...@po.cwru.edu
Elizabeth Collins, New Jeresy - jmeh...@cup.org
Christina Larse, California - cjl...@svpal.org
Tamara Jane Davis, New Mexico - ta...@unm.edu
Patricia A. Whitford, Rhode Island - ange...@aol.com
Mara Levison, New York - mar...@aol.com
Lesli LaRocco, New York - ll...@cornell.edu
Michael Snow, Massachussetts
Joy Murphy, New York - joyjoy m...@aol.com
Theresa Bergeron, Texas - theresa....@psl-online.com
Kelly Lyn Kidder, Illinois - kel...@microsoft.com
Corey Johnson, Washington - cjoh...@islander.whidbey.net
Tamara Malik, Minnesota - cast...@aol.com
James O'Donnell, Ilinois
Michael O'Donnell, Illinois
Geraldine Knippen, Illinois
Robert & Anita M. Field, Illinois - amf...@aol.com
Andrea Field, Michigan
Joel Serlin, Michigan
Ted & Lisa Manhattan Field, Illinois
Carol Nemec, Alaska - cne...@ist01.ferris.edu
Tami L. Kramer, Florida - kra...@l3oncl.cern.ch
Suzanne House, California - suzann...@ucop.edu
Valerie Drake-Altman, Pennsylvania - pno...@cpcn.com
Carol Schuldt, California - csch...@library.calpoly.edu
Terri Mondschein Roy, Colorado - t m r...@aol.com
Jerry Hanley, New York - jr...@albanyms.bitnet
Shea Grimm, Washington - sh...@halcyon.com
Shana E. Tucker, California - Shana_...@pps.ucsd.edu
Pat Reed, Texas - AP RE...@aol.com
Ruth EJ. James, Michigan - ja...@hope.cit.hope.edu
David R. James, Michigan - ja...@hope.cit.hope.edu
Chellyn Rinehart Angebranndt, Virginia -
Kathy Wieder, Pennsylvania - kathy_...@shsl.com
Mignon Fogarty, California - fog...@cmgm.stanford.edu
Bradley Neff Hutchinson, Virginia - bhut...@pen.k12.va.us
Leah P. Goolsby, Florida - goo...@mail.firn.edu
Betsy Greiner, Ohio - egre...@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu
Michaela J. Barton, Maryland - Katzn...@aol.com
Rob G. Powell, Virginia - robgp...@aol.com
E. James Perullo, New Hampshire - jper...@wellfleet.com
Sandra J. Remson, Texas - sandi...@aol.com
Noramah Burch, Oregon - nora...@efn.org
Kurt M. Weber, Arizona - kweb...@aol.com
David A. Chesson, Washington - denia...@aol.com
David E. Zembower, Minnesota - zemb...@sparc.isl.net
Connie Felt, Washington - conni...@aol.com
Mary Ann Couch, Virginia - ma...@poe.acc.virginia.edu
Eileen Nisa Sien, New Jeresy - dan...@aol.com
Chris W. Lambert, Texas - clam...@ccmail.dsccc.com
Erin Smothers, California - iomagazine.aol.com
Paulette DeMauro, RN, New York - ograd...@aol.com
Sue Eiszler, Michigan - eis...@cps.cmich.edu
Diane M. Pezely, Delaware - diane....@royal.com
Sharon F. Reuvain, New York - sfre...@mailbox.syr.edu
Christopher McVay, Oregon - chr...@efn.org
Richard L. Benson, Jr., Florida - rich_...@sfa.ufl.edu
Pat Mauro, Missouri - pmaur...@aol.com
Jean Nowakowski Goodrich, Maryland - je...@noao.edu
Alyson, Ohio - sust...@cc.denison.edu
Linda Webb, New York - web...@aol.com
Andrew Katz, Texas - andre...@aol.com
Genevieve Segat, Kansas - gse...@gsegat.kc63.att.com
Timothy Prendergast, Arizona - t...@primenet.com
Judith McRae, California - mcra...@slip.net
Eve Willhite, Texas - e...@sam.neosoft.com
Diane K. Spackman-Jacobs, Texas - semi...@usis.com
Matthew Zachary Head, Georgia - mzh...@music.cc.uga.edu
Paul Turner, Massachussetts - ptu...@legato.ultranet.com
Terry A. Sanderson, Missouri
Greg Shearhod, North Carolina - scott...@aol.com
Jeff Mangan, Montana - jmang...@aol.com
Sandra Miller, Ohio - ay...@yfn.ysu.edu
Anne Bartlett, Illinois - eng...@orion.depaul.edu
Michelle M. Starke, California - kil...@aol.com
Kathryn M. Moncrief, Iowa - kathryn-...@uiowa.edu
Pam Thompson, Florida - pamth...@aol.com
Richard Friberg, California - regi...@aol.com
David N. Hunt, California - dnh...@rain.org
Cay FitzGerald, Cailifornia
Cynthia A. Smith, Florida - c1s...@aol.com
P. Erik Jaros, Ohio - pja...@freenet.columbus.oh.us
Lynne Christine Remer, Nebraska - rem...@aol.com
Laura K. Abratowski, New York - abrat...@cocgate.soc.nyu.edu
Mara Feigelson, New York - mara...@aol.com
Annemarie J Elmore, Massachusetts - aaro...@aol.com
Terry L. Alley M.D., Texas - ter...@unicomp.net
Karen L. Alley, Texas kla...@aol.com
Lori Thompson, California - dtho...@owens.ridgecrest.ca.us
Nancy M. Newman, Pennsylvania - nanp...@aol.com
Kevin, Lori Jackson and Molly, Illinois - kevin...@aol.com
Stephen Wood, Virginia - bmoe...@sivm.si.edu
Rev. Steve Whitman, Georgia - sl...@aol.com
Diane Badia DiCarlo, New York - spook...@aol.com
Cindy Brophy, Florida - jef...@aol.com
Dana Katherine Kressierer, Ohio - dkre...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Bert L. Summer; Phoenix, Arizona; a1...@amug.org
Kimberly J Kocur, - ko...@lucas.emi.com
Denise K. Fuller, California - sav...@best.com
Bo Jacobs, Illinois - boja...@prairienet.org
Jim Alsup, New Mexico - jja...@polaris.unm.edu
Sandra J. Slyter, Maryland - sj...@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu
Victoria Green,California - jackd...@delphi.com
Janet Asper Pensylvania - jaa...@pitt.edu
Joann Pheasant, Washington - phea...@u.washington.edu
Nancy Smith, Illinois - mu...@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu
Nicole Lindroos Frein - nikc...@aol.com
Shawna P. Crudup, Washington
Jennifer R. Winge, California - bigf...@aol.com
Tyson Adams, California - mrim...@aol.com
Tracy Beeler, Washington...@prodigy.com
Jack F. Vogel, California - jack....@eng.sun.com
Susan Kacerek, Ohio - sx...@po.CWRU.Edu
Mark D. Bulla, Maryland - mark_d...@umail.umd.edu
Markaye Bleth, Indiana - mab...@indiana.edu
Lyn Carroll, California - lcar...@hpsmtcl.cup.hp.com
Dennis Carroll, California
Sharon A. Taylor, Florida - ind0...@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu
Mary Ann Niles, New Hampshire
Wendy Wright, California - wri...@ssc.sscnet.ucla.edu
Christopher & Vivian Pilger, California - viv...@balboa.uci.edu
Susan J. Elliott, Massachusetts - demon::ell...@elesys.enet.dec.com
Erin McGuigan, Washington - eri...@elwha.evergreen.edu
Mark Sanderson, Connecticut - mar...@aol.com
Sarah Bate, California - sarah...@Sun.Com
Joyce Goad, California - goadw...@aol.com
Jonathan McCoy, New Jeresy - mcc...@wpc.wilpaterson.edu
Pat Belvel, California - patt...@aol.com
Kimberly Ritchie, New York - ritc...@hal-gw.halny.hitachi.com
Daniel McFeeley, Illinois - mcf...@olivet.edu
Melissa Landis-McFeeley, Illinois - mcfe...@olivet.edu
Glenna Frost, Texas - gle...@genie.geis.com
Dana Shumate, Florida - Dana...@delphi.com
Karen Kearns, California - hcrt...@huey.csun.edu
Darrin C. Harrison, Maryland - darrin_...@umail.umd.edu
Michael C. Polinske, Wisconsin - mpol...@execpc.com
Michelle Johnson, New York - mkjo...@mailbox.syr.edu
Bonnie L. McDermott, New Jersey - bmcd...@kpmg.com
Perry Lymberis, North Carolina - mudd...@cybernetics.net
Susan Carter Call, Wisconsin - ca...@csd.uwm.edu
Rev. Janice A. Campbell, Ohio - af...@dayton.wright.edu
Sherri Ervin, Arizona - az she...@aol.com
John DelMonaco, Maine - jo...@maine.maine.edu
Kathie Pike, Washington - pik...@olympus.net
Alison Bischoff, Missouri - abi...@cc.brynmawr.edu
Jean McCall, Massachusetts - the...@delphi.com
Judie Rich, California - jde...@ix.netcom.com
Alan J. Rich, California - 72202...@compuserv.com
Dana Morgan, Ohio - danam...@aol.com
Damsel Plum, California - da...@bastards.org
Debra Goldgehn, Georgia - de...@ocn.com
Paul J. Hummer, California - PHumm...@aol.com
Lyndsey Burger, Missouri - Lbu...@cctr.umkc.edu
Heather Wynn Sims, Massachusetts - HS...@vax.clarku.edu
Mary Block Baker, Texas - Texa...@bmc.com
Lori Pringle, Alberta, Canada - mu...@holly.cuug.ab.ca
Bernard Ortiz-de-Montellano, New Jersey, bort...@ew.lmms.lmco.com
Elaine M. Petersen, Iliinois, epe...@nwu.edu
David C. Ansardi, Alabama - dans...@wwisp.com
Rhonda Cook gwi...@gate.net
Scott Ostrander, Indiana - sco...@indiana.edu
Risa Grayson -- Seattle, WA -- Serr...@aol.com
Mary Lou Bovie -- Palm City, FL. g...@gate.net
Lisa Frey,Founder-Pennsylvania- A...@ncentral.com
Tammy Hall - South Carolina - th...@teleplex.net
Joan Johnson McKenzie rjakj...@aol.com
Nancy Kramer, Minnesota AgPla...@aol.com
Kathleen Hedden, New Jersey, Jess...@world2u.com
Lynn Burger - Missouri - Lbu...@cctr.umkc.edu
Thom Painter - California - tan...@ccnet.com
Christopher P. Hofford, California - chof...@ix.netcom.com
Bridget W. Regan - North Carolina - re...@ils.unc.edu
Elayne Ivey - Alabama - ivey...@airnet.net
Donna Loudermilk - West Virginia - omb0...@mail.wvnet.edu
Craig Cantrell - Kansas - rai...@southwind.net
Keith M. Tevington - t...@flash.net
Wendy Gallacci - Washington - psy...@u.washington.edu
Carol D. Westover - California - teha...@adnc.com
Ian K. Hagemann - Washington - ia...@scn.org
LaVonne Gaylor - LGa...@aol.com
Gail Bennett @ ga...@maco.net
Glen Clarkson
Judith Krieger
Donna Clarkson
Mina Whalen
Jim Stoicheff, Jr. - Washington - jims...@sprynet.com
James W. Forrester - South Carolina - WA4...@aol.com
Michelle Taylor - Louisiana - 0004...@bigred.unl.edu
Amy Downey - Pennslyvania - akd...@psu.edu
Dolly - Ohio - pop...@harborcom.net
Maryanne Duplissey - IN - eureka....@prodigy.com
Michelle Hilbe - California - hi...@thegrid.net
Carol Mackey - New York - cma...@buffnet.net
Amy Fein - a...@hotmail.com
Merrill Hunn - California - Mer...@aol.com
Mike Dettinger - Virginia - Mike...@aol.com
Ann Grenci, New York - FoxH...@aol.com
Pam Ladetto-Michigan fire4...@gnn.com
Brett Ladetto-Michigan fire4...@gnn.com
Mark Hubley, Washington - DSue...@aol.com
Rodger A Long - California - rlong...@aol.com
Harry McGowan - HMcgo...@aol.com
Loretta June McGowan - HMcgo...@aol.com
Joseph W. Davis - Georgia - jo...@GroupZ.net
Sheryl Savoie - Maryland: Octuple @ AOL.com
Bruce and Laurabeth Daniel - Texas - dani...@hal-pc.org
Jeanne LeBlanc - Georgia - ros...@gnatnet.net
Ronald Withaeger - Nevada - Gearj...@aol.com
S. Victoria Weinstein, Virginia - to...@erols.com
Byron A. Stack, California - byron...@tech-center.com
Leslie C. Goodwin, Virginia - Lesli...@aol.com
Nicole Ann Weeks - FL -poo...@gte.net.
Judy Kennett, Missouri, jken...@nwlink.com
Charles Brian Erickson - CO - Rob...@AOL.com
Laurie Mundy: Alabama - mu...@dbtech.net
Kevin R. Henson, Midland, Michigan - BudH...@aol.com
Vera R. Addison - upa...@startel.net
This document does not necessarily represent opinions or beliefs of
corporations, businesses, universities, colleges or other similar
entities in the e-mail address, only that of the individuals listed.
HalfHeart
Phil D. Nosebetter
[This followup was posted to alt.adoption and a copy was sent to the cited
author.]
In article <351124fb...@news.dnai.com>, dwi...@dnai.com says...
> James G. Lillis, Domain Administrator, Wisconsin - sy...@adoptees.org
This document has been cut by numerous names and email addresses from the
time that I signed this document some 3 or 4 years ago when it circulated
then. Please make sure that your name and adddy is present, even if you
signed it before. Good move HH.
Regards,
--
If it's good enough to talk about, it's good enough to do!
What have you done today, yesterday, or the day before that?