Child-placing agency; shall not be required to participate in placement of child for foster care. (SB349)

Equality Virginia strongly opposes this bill that seeks statutory authority for state-licensed and state-funded faith-based child-placing agencies to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in providing foster care and adoption services.

the child-placing agencies licensed to facilitate adoptions and foster care are functioning as agencies of the state. As such, when placing children, they are not engaged in private acts (as would be the case with respect to employment decisions). Just as the state cannot deny any citizen the equal protection of the laws, neither can the agents of the state -- in this case, the licensed child placing agencies -- even if they are run by faith-based organizations.

This language appears to authorize state protection for such actions as the following:
- prohibiting placement of children because of White supremacist theologies
- prohibiting placement of children because of Black supremacist theologies
- prohibiting placement of children because of eugenical beliefs embedded in theologies (e.g. particular disabilities are signs of physical, mental and spiritual inferiority)
etc

Southern Poverty Law Center lists a horde of aggressively prejudiced and/or violent organizations (racist, anti-semitic, anti-muslim, sexist/heterosexist, etc) active in Virginia that could come under protection of this 'law' (" the agency's sponsor or any organization or institution with which the agency is associated or affiliated") :

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map#s=VA

American Immigration Control Foundation/Americans for Immigration Control - anti immigrant, in Monterey

American Renaissance White Nationalist, in Arlington

American Renaissance/New Century Foundation - White Nationalist, in Oakton

Aryan Nations 88 - Neo-Nazi, statewide

Blood and Honour America Division - Racist Skinhead, statewide

British National Party Overseas Unit - White Nationalist, in Berryville

Brotherhood of Klans Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide

Confederate Hammerskins - Racist Skinhead, in Petersburg

Council of Conservative Citizens - White Nationalist, statewide

Crew 38 - Racist Skinhead, statewide

European-American Unity and Rights Organization, White Nationalist, in Richmond

Heritage and Destiny - White Nationalist, in Falls Church

In the Spirit of Chartres Committee - Radical Traditional Catholicism, in Suffolk

Knight Riders Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in Abingdon

Knights of the Southern Cross Soldiers of the Ku Klux Klan, in Powhatan

League of the South - Neo-Confederate, in Marion

Nation of Islam- Black Separatist, in Richmond

National Black Foot Soldier Network - Black Separatist in Virginia Beach

Old Glory Skinheads - Racist Skinhead, statewide

The Creativity Alliance - Neo-Nazi, statewide

The Creativity Movement- Neo-Nazi, in Wise

The Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation- White Nationalist, in Vienna

Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide

United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide

United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in Gordonsville

VDARE Foundation- White Nationalist, in Warrenton

Virgil White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide

Virginia Publishing Company - Christian Identity, in Lynchburg

Volksfront-Racist Skinhead, in Norfolk

Mothers and Others Virginia strongly opposes this bill that seeks statutory authority for state-licensed and state-funded faith-based child-placing agencies to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in providing foster care and adoption services. Faith-based agencies are under contract with the State of Virginia and receive tax payer funds.

The state should not license as an agent of the state's business any organization that cannot faithfully fulfill the obligations of the state to citizens. If private agencies want to be involved, they should observe and honor the same freedoms from prejudice and discrimination that are required of state agencies. This exception is wrong and bad for children. Any agency that would benefit from this provision should be out of business.