[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 136 (Tuesday, September 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12624-S12625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TRANSRACIAL ADOPTIONS IN THE CHILDREN'S BEST INTERESTS

   Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, some weeks ago, the magazine Black 
Issues in Higher Education, which I read regularly for its scholarly 
and sensitive insights into higher education, had an article on 
transracial adoptions written by Dr. Rita J. Simon--no relative, a 
professor of law at the American University.
  I have a special interest in this field because of some family 
involvement in the area, but what she writes makes so much sense that I 
thought this area in which there is sometimes more heat 

[[Page S 12625]]
than light, needs to see this issue more widely understood.
  I ask that the article be printed in the Record, and I urge my 
colleagues to read it.
  The article follows:

          [From Black Issues in Higher Education, May 4, 1995]

        Transracial Adoptions--In the Children's Best Interests

                         (By Dr. Rita J. Simon)

       The case for transracial adoption rests primarily on the 
     results of empirical research. The data show that transracial 
     adoptions clearly satisfy the ``best interest of the child'' 
     standard. They show that transracial adoptees grow up 
     emotionally and socially adjusted, aware of and comfortable 
     with their racial identity. They perceive themselves as 
     integral parts of their adopted families, and they expect to 
     retain strong ties to their parents and siblings in the 
     future.
       The findings in our study are neither unique or unusual. 
     All of the studies--even those carried out by researchers who 
     were initially skeptical--arrived at the same general 
     conclusions.
       Indeed, when given the opportunity to express their views 
     on transracial adoption, most people--Black and white--
     support it. For example, in January 1991, ``CBS This 
     Morning'' reported the results of a poll it conducted that 
     asked 975 adults, ``Should race be a factor in adoption?'' 
     Seventy percent of white Americans said no, and 71 percent of 
     African Americans said no. These percentages are the same as 
     those reported by Gallup in 1971 when it asked a national 
     sample the same question.


                        the simon-altstein study

       In 1971-72, Simon contacted 206 families living in five 
     cities in the Midwest who were members of the Open Door 
     Society and the Council on Adoptable Children (COAC) and 
     asked whether she could interview them about their decision 
     to adopt nonwhite children. All of the families but two 
     (which declined for reasons unrelated to adoption) agreed to 
     participate in the study. The parents allowed a two-person 
     team composed of one male and one female graduate student to 
     interview them in their homes for 60 to 90 minutes at the 
     same time that each of their children, who were between four 
     and eight years old, was being interviewed for about 30 
     minutes. In total, 204 parents and 366 children were 
     interviewed.
       The number of children per family in our surveys ranged 
     from one to seven; this included birth as well as adopted 
     children. Nineteen percent of the parents did not have any 
     birth children. All of those families reported that they were 
     unable to bear children.
       The most important finding that emerged from our first 
     encounter with the families in 1971-72 was the absence of a 
     white racial preference or bias on the part of the white 
     birth children and the nonwhite adopted children. All of the 
     children (adopted and birth) had been given a series of 
     projective tests including the Kenneth Clark doll tests, 
     puzzles, pictures etc., that sought to assess racial 
     awareness, attitudes and identity.
       Unlike all other previous doll studies, our respondents did 
     not favor the white doll. It was not considered smarter, 
     prettier, nicer, etc., than the Black doll either by white or 
     Black children. Neither did the other tests conducted during 
     the same time period reveal preferences for white or negative 
     reactions to Black. Yet the Black and white children in our 
     study accurately identified themselves as white or Black on 
     those same tests.
       Thus, contrary to other findings reported up to that time, 
     the children reared in these homes appeared indifferent to 
     the advantages of being white, but aware of and comfortable 
     with the racial identity imposed by their outward appearance. 
     By and large, the parents of these children were confident 
     that the atmosphere, the relationships, the values and the 
     lifestyle to which the children were being exposed would 
     enable successful personal adjustments as adults.
       Over the years, we continued to ask about and measure 
     racial attitudes, racial awareness and racial identity among 
     the adopted and birth children. We also questioned the 
     parents during the first three phases of the study about the 
     activities, if any, in which they as a family, engaged to 
     enhance their transracial adoptee's racial awareness and 
     racial identity. We heard about dinner-time conversations 
     involving racial issues, watching the TV series ``Roots,'' 
     joining Black churches, seeking Black godparents, preparing 
     Korean food, traveling to Native American festivals and 
     related initiatives. As the years progressed, it was the 
     children, rather than the parents, who were more likely to 
     want to call a halt to these types of activities.
       ``Not every dinner conversation has to be a lesson in Black 
     history,'' or ``we are more interested in basketball and 
     football than ceremonial dances'' were comments we heard 
     frequently from transracial adoptees as they were growing up.
       In the 1991 phase of the study, transracial adoptees were 
     asked how they felt about the practice of placing nonwhite--
     especially Black--children in white homes, what 
     recommendations they might have about adoption practices and 
     what advice they might have for white parents who are 
     considering transracial adoption. We also asked the 
     respondents to evaluate their own experience with transracial 
     adoption.
       We opened the topic by stating, ``You have probably heard 
     of the position taken by the National Association of Black 
     Social Workers (NABSW) and several councils of Native 
     Americans strongly opposing transracial adoption. Do you 
     agree or disagree with their position?'' All of the 
     respondents were aware of NABSW's position. Eighty percent of 
     the adoptees and 70 percent of the birth children disagreed 
     with the NABSW position. Among the latter, 17 percent agreed 
     and 13 percent were not sure. Only 5 percent of the 
     transracial adoptees agreed with NABSW's position; the others 
     were not sure how they felt about the issue. The reasons most 
     often given for why they disagreed were that ``racial 
     differences are not crucial,'' ``TRA is the best practical 
     alternative,'' and ``having a loving, secure relationship in 
     a family setting is all-important.''
       One Black male adoptee said, ``My parents have never been 
     racist. They took shit for adopting two Black kids. I'm proud 
     of them for it. The Black Social Workers' Association 
     promotes a separatist ideology.''
       Another Black female commented, ``It's a crock--it's just 
     ridiculous. They [the NABSW] should be happy to get families 
     for these children--period. My parents made sure we grew up 
     in a racially diverse neighborhood. Now I am fully 
     comfortable with who I am.''
       Another commented, ``I feel lucky to have been adopted when 
     I was very young [24 days]. I was brought up to be 
     selfconfident--to be the best I can. I was raised in an 
     honest environment.
       We then shifted to a more personal note: ``How do you think 
     being Black (or, where appropriate, Korean or Native 
     American) and raised by white parents has affected how you 
     perceive yourself today?'' One-third of the transracial 
     adoptees thought the adoption had a positive effect on their 
     self-image. One-third thought it had no effect, and one-third 
     did not know what effect the adoption had on their self-
     image.
       One male adoptee said, ``Multicultural attitudes develop 
     better children. I was brought up without prejudice. The 
     experience is fulfilling and enriching for parents and 
     children.''
       The results of 20 years of study show that transracial 
     adoptions serve the children's best interests. None of the 
     families aborted any of their adoptions. As they moved from 
     childhood to adolescence to adulthood, the transracial 
     adoptees were clearly aware of and comfortable with their 
     racial identity. Today, those who are Black laugh at being 
     labeled ``oreos,'' Black on the outside, white on the inside, 
     by some members of the National Association of Black Social 
     Workers. The Black adoptees stress their comfort with their 
     identity and their awareness that although they may speak, 
     dress, and have different tastes in music than some other 
     Blacks, the African American is wonderfully diverse.

                          ____________________