Open Adoption Records Debate
Did you know that adoptees in most of the United States are not allowed to see their birth records? The records are sealed for 99 years in most states, so adoptees have no way of finding out who their birth parents are. Adoptees are the only people in our country who don’t have the right to see their original birth records.
Today, many adoptees and groups like Bastard Nation are fighting for the right to have access to these records, but there is a lot of resistance. Some people say that birth parents were promised their identity would be kept secret and we must keep that promise.
Write a paragraph or more with your opinion about this issue, including what you think about and be sure to explain you reasons for your answers:
Do you think that adoptees should have access to their birth records?
If you were adopted would you want to be able to find out who your biological parents are?
Would you want your biological parents to be able to find you?
What if you had given a child up for adoption? Would you want the child to be able to find you? Would you want to find them?
Should there be any restrictions on adoptees rights to see or find the truth about their biological parents?
October 6, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I to belie in what your saying. That adoptees should be allowed to know who there real parents are.
October 7, 2009 at 11:56 am
In the U.S. Currently there are 4 states that do not allow adult adopted persons to receive or even look at a copy of their Original Birth Certificate. The current laws in the U.S. Regarding this situation give adoptees an amended which shows their adopted parents’ names only. The document contains no information regarding anything pre-adoption.
Adoptees are allowed to see the adoption decree, and information about birth parents and their families gathered during pre placement interviews the original birth certificate.
The reason why this law is in action is because all parties named in the documents needed to be protected from the social stigma associated with illegitimacy, fertility, poverty, mental illness, addiction, and any of the myriad of reasons that might have been associated with the reasons children were placed for adoption and the reasons children were adopted. I think this is kind of a good reason why because some kids were adopted because sometimes there parents were unfit to raise a child and the truth sometimes is just so harsh and it would hurt people with the truth. The law is changing because of the change in the way people think. Society is opening their minds to more things and is talking about everything. The number of adoptees in the U.S. alone is estimated to be around 6 million. I think they should open up adoption records for adoptees over 18 because they do deserve to know the truth about why they got adopted even if it is a little harsh.
October 13, 2009 at 11:41 am
Yes, I do think that adult adoptees should have access to their birth records. They should have access because they are already adults and they would understand all the information in the birth records. If I was adopted I would like to find out who my biological parents for two reasons. The first reason would be so I can ask my biological parents why was the reason they decided to put me up for adoption. Was it because they just didn’t want me, they didn’t have no money to raise me when I was a baby, or did my mom get raped and seeing me would bring her bad memories of that day. I wouldn’t be mad at my biological parents I would understand for the reason why they had put me up for adoption.
It all depends, but in a way I would want for biological parents to find me because they had realize they committed a mistake and they want to know how there birth child is doing. If I had given a child up for adoption I would want my birth child to be able to find me and I would try my hardest even I go through a lot of process to find my children. As their biological mother I would tell my child why I did what I did put him/her for adoption and that it was a mistake for me to do. Yes, if I had adopted a child I would help my adopted child as much as I can to find his/her biological parents. I would allowed the biological parents to find and meet my adopted child and if its possible and if my adopted child wants to I would allowed them to visit him/her at least twice a month also including birthday.
The best solution for this debate is that adoptees should have the right to access their original birth records. Like for example in the article in the part of The Citizen Speak it says that “84% of Americans believe that adopted children be allowed to view their adoption records upon reaching adulthood.” Another solution will be that people who have been adopted can be able to view there birth certificate. Only if and when the birth mother sign a paper that states once there biological child turns 18 either they do or do not have the right to view there original birth certificate.
December 7, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Yes I think that adoption records should be realeased to child beacuse everyone has the right to know. They shouldnt keep it hidden. I Mean its there own parents for crying out loud. Its not there fault that they parents decided to not care for those kids anymore. I mean yeah thye shouldnt be shown at a small age because they might get ideas and go looking for them and do something dumb and they might end up hurt. They should be shown at an appriopiate age were they can understand. Everyone makes mistakes and whats the best thing that comes out of it that you realize what you did was wrong. So why not prevent another tragic like that. Let the child of those parents who left them not make the same mistakeand leave their kids too. In some people it wont matter because thye might hold a grudge against them so why not let see it. They might take as it whateer and keep moving on.