I agree that many of the children that foster
families work with are truly challenging. Many
times much of the challenge is the fact that they
are dealing with a society that doesn't
understand their [the children's] issues, and
incarcerates rather than hospitalizes adults of
color with diseases (basically chemical
dependency). As anyone knows who has dealt with
chemical dependency issues, it really does effect
the whole family, and especially has a tragic
effect on impressionable children.
Take these impressionable children, who are
dealing with many issues they don't understand
and put them into a home whose culture is totally
foreign to them, and you add another set of
dynamics to these children's already unsettled
and troubled lives. Many times these foster
families are ill equipped to address children of
color issues, and end up causing many more
problems for these children. Any for society,
many of these children end up being labeled as
"lost" children because they could not make it in
the out of home placement.
The issue I have with foster care and out of home
placement is that a disproportionate number of
African American children are in out of home
placement. I personally believe that this has a
direct corrolation (sp) with the disproportionate
number of African American adults being
incarcerated for non-violent crimes.
In that racism is nowhere near erradication in
this country or this county, many of these
children have "secret" horror stories to tell
about their placement in foster homes. These
stories don't count as abuse, because racism has
yet to be considered abuse. [What is interesting
here is that in order for racism to be classified
as abuse the society that is doing the abuse is
responsible for naming it.]
I don't doubt that many of the foster families
are wonderful, but we as a county and a society
don't yet have the capacity to deal with the
disproportionate numbers of tragedies that occur
for African American children that are placed out
of their homes.
Take care,
Matthea Smith
Powderhorn Park Neighborhood
SD 61B, Ward 9-4
Minneapolis
--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Hennepin County Children and Family Services
> workers do foster care placement.
>
> The Time Magazine piece does spotlight some
> terrible stories from several
> states, but if this strand does catch some
> interest, I hope folks realize
> that foster parents are some of the real heroes
> in this society. They are the
> best chance a lot of kids have for getting some
> balance in their lives.
>
> Although there may be some Hennepin County
> horror stories, please temper them
> with respect for folks willing to give deeply
> from their lives to help kids
> who can be very challenging.
>
> Dennis Schapiro
> Linden Hills
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