The irony of President Obama's school speech

As the nation debates the merits of President Barack Obama's school speech amid discussions of certain civil rights and allegations of discrimination, parents of internationally adopted children are reminded of an even more basic right that their children are not afforded -  the right to some day run for the office of President of the United States.

Included in the suggested pre-kindergarten through 6th grade classroom activities to accompany President Obama's address scheduled for Tuesday, September 8th, are several constructive and thought-provoking exercises that ask students to imagine that they are the president and are making a similar speech. They are also encouraged to write and talk about their goals for the future. It may seem an unjust reality that internationally adopted children are not allowed to pursue the goal that so many children dream of, despite the fact that they are American citizens just like their classmates.

Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution states that “no person except a natural born citizen” shall be eligible to the Office of President. Most people would interpret this to mean that only those born on American soil would qualify, and that the law would obviously exclude all children born in foreign countries, including international adoptees. However, any biological child born to a U.S. citizen abroad is exempt from this law, proving the truly discriminatory nature of the laws as they pertain to children adopted from overseas.

Clearly, a Constitution over two hundred years old needs to be updated to reflect the diversity of our nation. To address that need Equality for Adopted Children (EACH), an advocacy organization that seeks to work with Congress, the White House, and government agencies to promote adoption policies and legislative changes that will ensure that adopted children of American families have the very same rights and opportunities granted to children born into American families, has introduced the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act (FACE Act). The FACE Act would amend and improve upon the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA), a bill introduced by Senator Don Nickles and Senator Mary Landrieu. In addition to finally allowing internationally children equal rights to one day pursue the Presidential office, the FACE Act would:

1. Remove internationally adopted children of American citizens from the immigration process, saving time, money and, for many, travel costs
2. Confer U.S. citizenship upon internationally adopted children immediately upon completion of all the necessary steps without requiring readoption within the U.S.
3. Improve upon the current system by encouraging foreign countries to provide original birth documentation

In an open letter to the adoption community, EACH president McLane Layton summarized the merits of the proposed legislation:

The sponsors of the FACE Act - Senator Mary Landrieu, Senator Jim Inhofe (S.1359) and Representative Diane Watson and Representative John Boozman (H.R. 3110) are great friends and supporters of the adoption community and have crafted a bill that will provide equality under the law for our internationally adopted children and allow them to benefit in all ways from full American citizenship.

***To support the FACE Act, sign the petition - Face Act of 2009 , join the Facebook group - Pass the FACE Act***