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RE: race matching and child welfare
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<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003>Thanks for the feedback! </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003>It's a rich and fascinating
discussion. Your comprehensive illustration of the many
variables involved demonstrates the complexity quite nicely; and your very
sensitive and well aimed suggestion regarding awareness of self-identification,
rather than visual identification, strengthens the idea that human beings
do in fact identify themselves with a group (of some or many types) and that
this self-identification is an important and respectful aspect to
consider.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003>The complex process of self
identification that you describe strongly supports the idea that this
variable be taken into respectful consideration when making staff
assignments and placement decisions.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003>Thanks Again,</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=250372804-25112003>Ken </SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><FONT face="Times New Roman">-----Original
Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu]<B>On Behalf Of</B>
Freya Schultz<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, November 24, 2003 2:11 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
Child Maltreatment Researchers<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: race matching and child
welfare<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>I think you may have overstated the case for bonobo/chimpanzee cultural
differences. My background is physical anthropology/primatology
(Stanfor/Berkeley). Many of the "rules" observed on a species
typology basis do not hold true for all troops of a species, or even for
the same troop as the personalities of the lead animals change. In some
cases, for instance, even in rhesus macaques, a particularly dominant female
animal in a small troop can coerce the "dominant" males into following HER
direction, especially if she is able to mobilize fellow females to gang up on
the males, yet rhesus macaques are stereotypically "male-dominated".</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Furthermore, regarding culture of origin, it is not always possible to
visually identify a person, especially one of mixed race, either to "fix"
their culture of origin (assimilation stage issues for immigrant groups, as
well as wide differences in phenotypic expression of the same "bloodlines") OR
to get a good handle on what their racial admixture really IS. Not to
speak of religious differences within a single national origin group. Nor are
people of mixed race a small group, anymore. They are becoming more the
rule than the exception, depending on where you live in this country.
Consequently, staff in my agency is giving up the visual ID method of
identification and going to tactful "self-identification" procedures to allow
people to identify the full panoply of their heritage.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I, myself, am a person of mixed race, in a family which includes Native
American, Polynesian, African-American, Latino, and NE Asian members, and
their multi-racial offspring. I defy anyone to categorize us on the
basis of our "racial" identity. We are culturally of Hawaiian origin,
and that is probably more important than any U.S. stereotype fo how we should
behave and with whom we should identify. Not all of us are identifiable
as "persons of color", either, or if "of color" WHICH color?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Urban/rural background issues are important, too, even for folks who may
look the same to an uninformed observer. These issues are also important
when dealing with "whites". Region of origin and recency of arrival is
important, as anyone who has dealt with rural whites (Appalachian, Southern,
or other subgroups) recently arrived in an urban environment. There are
often BIG and important differences there, too.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Freya Schultz</DIV>
<DIV>Santa Barbara County Social Services<BR><BR>>>>
ken-little@worldnet.att.net 11/24/03 09:14AM >>><BR>Although not well
versed in this area, I believe that there is a growing<BR>body of research
relative to foster placements and adoptions that will help<BR>to inform this
discussion.<BR><BR>There is apparently some fairly abundant evidence to
suggest/support<BR>race/ethnic/cultural matching in the areas of foster care
and adoption.<BR>This seems pretty intuitive as people are irrevocably tied to
their<BR>culture-of-origin. Although this may be more relevant for young
males<BR>coming from patriarchal societies/groups (given the
strong<BR>interest/awareness of male lineage within these groups); there is no
strong<BR>reason to suspect that females are substantially less connected to
their<BR>originating culture.<BR><BR>Primate research may inform this aspect
of the discussion and is well worth<BR>the read. Particular attention
may be directed at the research<BR>comparing/contrasting bonobos and
chimpanzees; bonobos being matriarchally<BR>organized and chimpanzees being
patriarchally organized. (The two<BR>species/groups are geographically
and genetically separated by a river!).<BR>Richard Wrangham, Dale Peterson,
and Craig Stanford are some of the<BR>worthwhile investigators working in this
area.<BR><BR>At any rate, if true, there should be increased comfort and
feelings of<BR>positive association with effective racial/cultural/ethnic
matching.<BR>Anecdotally, we can observe inner city clustering for support of
this<BR>hypothesis. Most urban areas seem to have enclaves of
cultural/ethnic<BR>similarity (Hence the "tossed salad" metaphor as opposed to
the "melting<BR>pot" metaphor.)<BR><BR>On the other hand, there is very
powerful potential in a good working<BR>relationship regardless of
race.<BR><BR>Illegal or not, an excellent and valuable question to
raise!<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><BR>Kenneth H. Little, MA<BR>Mad River Behavioral
Health<BR>& DNTR.Com!<BR>PO Box 190, Campton, NH 03223
USA<BR>603-726-7400<BR>www.hyper-kid.com<BR>www.dntr.com<BR>www.ski93.net<BR> <BR> <BR><BR><BR>>
-----Original Message-----<BR>> From:
owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu<BR>> [<A
href="mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu]On";>mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu]On</A>
Behalf Of<BR>> Donna Mullins<BR>> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 5:25
PM<BR>> To: Child Maltreatment Researchers<BR>> Subject: Re: race
matching and child welfare<BR>><BR>><BR>> It's illegal to consider
race in making a placement except for the<BR>> specific needs of a specific
child. That might actually be a violation<BR>> of the
law.<BR>><BR>> >>> bill_higginsus@yahoo.com 11/21/03 17:02 PM
>>><BR>> We are running a training for new workers.
Someone<BR>> asked about matching the race of the child with the<BR>>
race of the worker. Is there any research on this<BR>> topic?
Does it seem to make a difference?<BR>><BR>> Bill
Higgins<BR>><BR>> __________________________________<BR>> Do you
Yahoo!?<BR>> Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now<BR>> <A
href="http://companion.yahoo.com/";>http://companion.yahoo.com/</A><BR>><BR><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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