Should white families be allowed to adopt black children

[BettyBooHoo!]

I think if they loved the child enough, it really wouldn't be an issue. They'd over come it as a family. People will encounter idiots of all categories through their life, some will have 'issues' with it and some won't. Personally, I take my hat off to anyone who brings up another's child, what ever the situation. Although my Dad has always been a wonderful Dad and a massive part of my life, my stepdad has always played the same role, he's never treat me or my brother any differently to his biological kids. Hats off to you Mafya

[boyfriday]

I would be interested to know what the black members of the forum think?

 

I absolutely agree that children should be placed in family environments, and families that are best placed to serve their needs at the time, whether they be black or white.

[Sierra]

I wonder if those black families would be given equal prominence in terms of adopting a white child? Just a thought.

 

That is a very good question, bf. I don't know what the population numbers are, but there are probably more white families than black ones. Also, for very young children and infants I wouldn't think this would be a problem.

[boyfriday]

Eeehhh? A black child can't be adopted by a white family??? That's crazy. I never knew this. Is this bloody political correctness over kill raising it's ugly, meddling head again?

I really can't see why it matters. Any parents, regardless of colour, who are suitable to give a child a loving home would surely be better no parents. Madness,

What about white women who have black partners? Could they adopt a black child?

 

Yes they can be adopted by white families Betty, I think the question is a legitimate one and shouldn't be disregarded, but personally I don't see a problem with it. I'd happily adopt a white child and bring it up exactly the same as my own children, who've been brought up as human beings, not ones with any particularly exceptional features.

[my eyes only]

I'm the white, british father of a mixed race child. Of course I want to do the best I can for her and make sure she gets her fair share of her black culture. However, when I look at the attitudes of my wife's parents (who were originally from Jamaica), and the way in which they brought up my wife and her brothers and sisters, they appear to be more "British" than I do.

 

My daughter receives influences from all family members, but to be honest, I cannot see much beyond the odd different meal at family gatherings - curry goat, rice & peas, jerk, ackee & saltfish, plantain and dumplings. In fact I probably introduced my wife to more exotic foods than she did to me.

 

Of course, it could be something much deeper - in which case, when she grows up I'll probably find she takes a liking to drinking stout and playing dominoes.:D

 

Well said my OH family are from Jamaica and they are as british as I am (im white) my children dont go to school with me and get asked why his mum is white and they are not, society has changed and I think the issue should be now adays on not mixing different reilgions, not colour.

[MC Spyda]

I would be interested to know what the black members of the forum think?

 

See post 33 for my opinion.

[boyfriday]

That is a very good question, bf. I don't know what the population numbers are, but there are probably more white families than black ones. Also, for very young children and infants I wouldn't think this would be a problem.

 

Indeed Sierra, I think purely due to weight of numbers there are plenty of white adopters for white children..but, I wonder if black couples are even considered when a white child is placed for adoption?

 

Like I said earlier, to me as a parent it wouldn't make any difference, so I wouldn't be sticking my neck out for a child just because they were black-so would I be considered a suitable adopter of white children?

[manofstrad]

I would be interested to know what the black members of the forum think?

 

I think it's better for a child to be placed with a loving family no matter what colour rather than spend his/her childhood in care.

[walkertelecoms]

I've read most of these posts and replies, but not all so you'll have to forgive me.

 

I am the outcome of what this thread is all about. I was fostered at the age of 7 days old after being abandoned by my biological mother. I was then adopted a year or so later by my foster parents.

I am mixed race Jamaican/English and my adoptive parents both white.

Back then the authorities remarkably miss-understood the complexities of mix race adoption, as the majority do now. I think this was really out of ignorance and partly desperation to put a solid roof over a childs head.

 

Myself and partner are all too aware of the racial upheaval this situation can cause, myself personally and my wife through working for the NHS for 30 years+.

 

The problem you see back then, is yes it all felt very christian and caring to take any child under your wing, but not understanding how that child is perceived in society is in my opinion tantamount to neglect.

Many Many times I would return home from school wondering what all these names were I was being called, shouted and screamed at me. My mother would say "sticks and stones...etc.etc.blah blah"... and repeating that would result in physical assaults on a major scale.

 

The road I lived on backed out onto a communal garage area, and on the garages around our home there were plenty of NF logos (oh for the lovely 70's) but do you know what, no-one ever bothered to try and remove them.

 

The school I went to, Oakwood on Moorgate, was a totally different beast to what it is today. Out of around 1600 children there was myself and maybe 4 others that were not white skin. I can remember out of the whole school there were maybe 20 kids that didn't either ignore my existence or pin me down and torture me. Of course this was the 70's so people didn't have issue with things like that, to people like me, that had parents like that that don't like 'fuss'. You might say that's amazing, surely there's someone you could have told. Well who would I have told, most of the teachers referred to me as "That n!gger".

 

So in my opinion before you can say yes there wouldn't be a problem for a white couple to take on a mixed race or black child, they need to be educated more than just reading a book, because most of the angst children go through at school and in society will not be brought home, for fear of misunderstanding or fear of reprisals.

 

My 3 children with my now partner all look different, my wife has a ''greek' look about her (lovely almond eyes) and I have a daughter that looks like Pocahontas, another that looks like Liv Tyler and a son that's bright Ginger and they are VERY aware that any issues in or out of school and we have their back 100% of the way.

It's all that's needed really, understand it before it happens, life is seldom peachy.

[Frank Sidney]

White families should be allowed to adopt black children yes, however.

 

If there is a choice between giving the family a white child and giving the family a black child. The white child should be given priority.

 

Of course it's not as simple as that and there will be plenty of other factors and variables, but that's the basics and I'm sure you get what I'm saying.

 

I'd disagree. The child who would benefit most should be placed. The children's needs should not be influenced at all by the colour.

 

For example if the child was sight impaired and black would he/she benefit more from being placed with black parents who have full sight. Or to parents who are white and the mother is sight impaired and a father whom works with sight impaired children?

 

It's never black and white, pardon the pun..