Transracial Adoption- what is more important, Love or Race?

   In 2006, it was estimated that black children represented 32 percent of the children in foster care, while only representing 15 percent of the population of children in the U.S. Approximately 20 percent of these children are adopted by white parents. In the 2000 census, there were 1.3 million families with an adopted child and 17 percent of these families were interracial.

   The issue of black children being placed with white parents has caused quite an issue. The National Association of Black Social Workers is opposed to the placement of black children into the homes of white parents. The fear is that with the placement of a black child into the home of a white family, that the child will lose their Black heritage. This is referred as "Cultural Genocide". 

   In 1994 the Texas DPRS went as far as removing black children from a white foster family after two years, but only after the family tried to adopt the two brothers. The Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) of 1994 was revised in 1996 and forbids denying the placement of a child solely on race.

   Now the question that should be asked is does one's heritage hold more importance than one's need for a loving family? I truly believe that a loving family should be the number one concern, however the heritage must  not be cast aside. As the father of a adopted black child, the only question that has been presented to me quite often is "you must have her mother fix her hair?" The answer is yes, sometimes. Here is the key, I love my child. I know there are differences, but because of my love for her  I choose to over come them. It took very little effort to learn how to perm her hair, and yes I can now braid, do twists or even glue in a weave. I enjoy doing these things for my daughter and the time that we get spend together.

   No matter what the racial make up of a child's family, the most most important need is love. And with that love, all can be overcome.

source www.americanadoptions.com Blended families

source http://ssw.unc.edu/fcrp/fp/fp_vol2no2/transracial_adoption.htm 

Pros and Cons of interracial Adoptions http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/blj/vol20/morrison.pdf