Fan Forum - View Single Post - Topic of the Week #15: Should fathers share in adoption decisions?

**vc318** · 08-02-2008, 09:21 PM

I apologize in advance for not having a link for this discussion but this was from a program I was watching on t.v.:

I was watching Dr. Phil the other day and it was about a man and woman who created a child together after having reckless and unprotected sex.
Apparently the woman claims that the ex-boyfriend was mentally abusive to her and tried to harm her while she was pregnant, which was why she decided to give the child up for adoption. However, the ex-boyfriend claims otherwise and now wishes to get custody of the child. The girl has been with her new adoptive parents for the past 4 months.

My question is: was this a legal action on the mother's part? Should this father and other fathers have a legal right to be informed that their child will be put up for adoption before the mother makes a decision? Should this child be returned to her father?

In my opinion, I can't understand why this lady was allowed to give her child away without consent from the father. I mean, I know how she did it - it's not even required by law for the mother to indicate who the father of her child is since most of the time the child is a result of an unplanned pregnancy and the father usually doesn't want to have the child. Maybe that's why there are laws today that allow such an injustice to fathers. In this case, the woman claims the ex-boyfriend was at fault but she was at fault too. She was reckless in more ways than one not wearing protection and keeping herself safe. But this little girl is the one I worry about. She should be entitled to know who her dad is. At least he's making an effort - he wants to have a relationship with his child. I think this woman gave the child up for adoption just because she was mad at the boyfriend. I'm not looking to see the child taken away from her adoptive parents but I would like to see the child get to know who her biological father is.