The Transracial Adoption Debate in the United States.

Transracial adoption, especially the adoption of black children by whites, is a deep and divisive social issue. Critics note the untapped potential for black families to adopt black children and the unaddressed conditions that bring black children to higher incidence of foster care placement. They emphasize the inability of white parents to adequately develop black children's racial identification and promote skills for surviving in a racist society. They also note the need to deal with issues that bring minority and poor children into foster care in the first place. Supporters argue that the number of black children available for adoption far exceeds the pool of black adopters and note the lack of empirical evidence suggesting that transracial adoption harms minority children. They emphasize the harm done to children who have extended stays in foster homes awaiting placement with black families. A significant yet often overlooked aspect of transracial adoption is the history of deep-rooted racial tension between blacks and whites. Some ethical considerations to examine include the values of equality of opportunity for children versus community, interracial community versus multiculturalism (community preservation versus integration), and a child's individuality versus racial/ethnic community. (Contains 14 references.) (SM)