Children Raised by Gay Couples Show Good Progress Through School, Study Finds

[Elmore Furth]

In the end it's about the kids. GLBT issues matter less than how the kids do. It seems the kids are OK. So what is the big deal?

ScienceDaily (Aug. 31, 2010) — In nearly every discussion, debate or lawsuit about gay marriage, the talk at some point turns to family values.

In a study published this month in the journal Demography, Rosenfeld concludes that children being raised by same-sex couples have nearly the same educational achievement as children raised by married heterosexual couples.

By mining data from the 2000 Census, Rosenfeld was able to figure out the rates at which children in all types of families repeated a grade during elementary or middle school. According to his findings, nearly 7 percent of children raised by heterosexual married couples were held back a year, while about 9.5 percent of children living with adults identifying themselves as same-sex partners repeated a grade.

"The census data show that having parents who are the same gender is not in itself any disadvantage to children," he said. "Parents' income and education are the biggest indicators of a child's success. Family structure is a minor determinant."

Rosenfeld's study shows that children of gay and married couples had lower grade-repetition rates than their peers raised by opposite-sex unmarried couples and single parents. And all children living in some type of family environment did much better than those living in group housing. Those who were awaiting adoption or placement in a foster home were held back about 34 percent of the time.

"One of the fundamental issues in modern family law that differs from state to state is whether same-sex couples can adopt," Rosenfeld said. "My research makes clear that there's a huge advantage to kids to be out of the care of the state and into the care of any family, even if the family is not perfectly optimal."

Children Raised by Gay Couples Show Good Progress Through School, Study Finds

[ck4829]

1. ANOTHER study that debunks the claims of homophobes? It MUST be bias...

Is what the Christian Right will say in response.

K&R.

[xchrom]

2. Bebunks? Can I use that?

I'm gonna go 'bebunk' some wingers now.

[ck4829]

4. That's weird, I misspelled that word so many times in that one post

Note to me: Use spell check!!!

[tavalon]

3. It's sad that such studies are still being done

Children who have good parenting, whether that parenting comes from one woman, one man, a heterosexual couple, a homosexual couple, a stable triad, or Martians will do better in life than those who don't have good parenting. Period. Jeez, maybe 20 years ago, we thought we needed such studies, but really people, this is so Duh! as to be a waste of grant money.

I wish people would just grow up and let people be. Spend that money teaching bad parents of any ilk how to be good parents.

[_ed_]

5. Why don't

straight parents have to prove their effectiveness?