Texan Muslims could face new ban on adoption

JEDDAH: The state of Texas could soon allow state-funded or private adoption agencies to reject applications to adopt children from Muslim parents.
Jewish, gay, single and interfaith couples are also included in the ban. Five other states have passed similar laws.
The laws will ultimately protect faith-based adoption agencies that reject any application to place a child with any of stated categories.
The bill, which designed to support the first amendment of adoption organizations and Child Protective Services (CPS) providers, is expected to come up in the State House this week.
According to the bill’s author, Republican State Rep. James Frank, the bill “codifies” the choices already made be adoption agencies as they select potential parents.
Frank was not available for comment to Arab News.
On a Facebook post, Frank said the HB 3859 seeks to protect faith-based providers from adverse actions for exercising their deeply held religious beliefs.
“At the same time, it requires the Department of Family and Protective Services to ensure alternative providers are present to offer any service denied for reasons of sincerely held religious beliefs,” according to the post.
Nikiya Natale, civil rights director for the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told Arab News that the bill intends to use taxpayers’ money to legalize discrimination and harms some of society’s most vulnerable, children.
“The focus should be on the best interest of the child and on finding a loving and stable home, not on one’s religious beliefs,” Natale said.
If passed, said Natale, the bill would allow any adoption agency receiving state funds to turn away otherwise qualified parents due to their religion or sexuality, while leaving thousands of children in the foster care or adoption system for much longer than necessary.
“It is unfair to prospective parents and even more so to these innocent children looking for homes,” she said.
The bill, according to Frank’s office, protects the ability of faith-based providers to decline to provide certain services that conflict with sincerely held religious beliefs, maintains the “best interest of the child” standard, ensures a diverse and broad range of foster care providers; and requires the State of Texas to ensure a provider is available to offer any services to everyone.
Some Americans, however, condemned the bill saying they do not want their tax money to be used to fund and feed discrimination.
“I wonder what happens the first time a Christian couple is denied an adoption? I’m sure you’ll be there screaming about the ‘war’ on Christians and how much they’re discriminated against,” said Laura Potts commenting on Frank’s Facebook post. “I will be writing my Representative to urge him to vote ‘no’ on this ridiculous bill.”
Anna Berend also wrote on Facebook that the best interest of a child depends on the perspective/beliefs of the person making the decision and could easily be used against a family that is kind, loving and supportive, but also happen to be Muslim, Jewish or LGTB.
Frank argued that his bill does not, in any way, force beliefs on anyone.
Explaining the bill to his social media followers, Frank said the proposed legislation does not establish or push a certain religion, “rather allows religious organizations to participate in the foster care system without being targeted by groups that believe in freedom of thought as long as it agrees with their thoughts 100%.”
CAIR’s Natale said, “If the bill passes, we will assess the situation and decide on an appropriate action at that time. I also doubt it would be the case that a suitable alternative would be available to potential parents who are subject to faith-based rejections. Even if an alternative is available, this bill creates a barrier in adopting or fostering children in need.”