Ask the Experts!!

A Reader Writes:

I have a question . . . what do you think about black and white children in a custody battle and the white parent wins because the child is very light skinned and can pass for white?

There's more, but this is the question I need an answer for.

 

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John Raible Answers:

I think basing a custody decision solely on the color of a child's skin is ridiculous. I would hope that the adults deciding upon the best interests of the children would take into consideration questions such as these:

• Which parent can best meet the diverse needs of the children? (Hopefully and probably, both.)
• Who can teach them about racism and navigating tricky social environments, especially in adolescence?
• How can the two parents co-parent, so that the children can be exposed to their different backgrounds and heritages?
• What kind of community can either parent commit to raising them, so they learn how to exist in an integrated society

 

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