For many of our families, getting involved with the foster care system is an endless nightmare. Our children are at least four times more likely to be taken from us, and our children stay in the system much longer. But this is about more than numbers.
Black parents are more likely to be penalized more severely for having mental health issues, addiction problems, or safety issues in the home. We are also more likely to lose custody of our children on flimsy evidence. Why is this the case?
The entire child welfare system has built-in bias against our people. Since the 1800s, this system has labeled Black parents as dangerous, violent, and unfit, and our children have been snatched from our families. It gets deeper, though.
All of these actions are meant to regulate, punish, and control our people and to institutionalize our children, even when relatives could step in to help us deal with family problems.
These actions are driven by a racist system that still views our children as State property, not as vital parts of the family unit. The worst part?
Black families targeted by this racism suffer for generations. We must realize the disparities in the system are part of a larger plot to dismantle Black families and keep us marginalized.