Traditionally, children born within a marriage were assumed to be fathered by the husband. Currently however, paternity testing is routine in the USA. For example in 1999 280,000 tests were conducted and in 28% of the cases the husband was not the biological father. Overall, about 5 to 10 percent of marital children are not the biological children of the husband (Santrock 2002).
However, although we have this information, most states have not yet updated their laws and men are required to continue supporting children they have not fathered. In fact, while criminal courts use DNA evidence as support of fatherhood, family courts do not acknowledge this scientific evidence (Santrock, 2002).
Within this context, consider the following questions:
What makes a parental relationship?
If biology is held supreme, what are the implications for adoptive parents? Same-sex parents?
Does the refusal to acknowledge scientific evidence reward women for deception?
Finally, what about the children?
CITE AT LEAST ONE REFERENCE(v.v.v.imp)
Traditionally, children born within a marriage were assumed to be fathered by the husband. Currently however, paternity testing is routine in the USA. For example in 1999 280,000 tests were conducted and in 28% of the cases the husband was not the biological father. Overall, about 5 to 10 percent of marital children are not the biological children of the husband (Santrock 2002).
However, although we have this information, most states have not yet updated their laws and men are required to continue supporting children they have not fathered. In fact, while criminal courts use DNA evidence as support of fatherhood, family courts do not acknowledge this scientific evidence (Santrock, 2002).
Within this context, consider the following questions:
What makes a parental relationship?
If biology is held supreme, what are the implications for adoptive parents? Same-sex parents?
Does the refusal to acknowledge scientific evidence reward women for deception?
Finally, what about the children?
CITE AT LEAST ONE REFERENCE(v.v.v.imp)
