Adoptive mother and author Marlee Bradley has penned a plea to white parents to teach their children about racism.
Bradley‚ who together with her husband are raising six kids aged nine and under‚ has written an open letter which was posted on www.scarymommy.com‚ and comes in the wake of American police shooting two black men.
“My son is getting older‚ and as he transitions from an adorable black boy to a strong black man‚ I know the assumptions about him will change. And I need your help in keeping him safe‚” Bradley starts by saying in her letter‚ titled ‘Dear White Parents Of My Black Child’s Friends: I Need Your Help’.
“We talk to our son about safety issues. We talk to him about being respectful of police (and anyone in authority)‚ about keeping his hands where they are visible‚ about not wearing his hood up over his face or sneaking through the neighbour’s backyard during hide-and-seek or when taking a shortcut home from school‚” she writes.
“But here’s the thing... There may come a time when your child will be involved. As the parents of the white friend of my black child‚ I need you to be talking to your child about racism. I need you to be talking about the assumptions other people might make about my son. I need you to talk to your child about what they would do if they saw injustice happening.”
Of Bradley’s children‚ two are biological and four are adopted‚ one hailing from Liberia.
She shares the pain she feels when her black son is continuously bullied by schoolmates based on the colour of his skin.
She says: “It is easy to think we live in a colour-blind society when you don’t know that two weeks ago I was on the phone with the principal at my son’s school to discuss the racial insults he was regularly receiving from the student sitting next to him“.
In addition to having her son bullied at school‚ she had to deal with social workers who were called by a neighbour who wanted to them to take away her black children.
“I don’t want to begin to tell you the trauma it is to former foster kids when a social worker shows up at your house to interview them‚ and I’m afraid I haven’t yet forgiven our neighbour for bringing that on our family (although it was quickly determined to be a ridiculous complaint and there was no further action taken).”
For Bradley’s full letter visit: http://www.scarymommy.com/author/maralee-bradley/
Mother's fear for son as he grows from 'adorable black boy to a strong black man'
Adoptive mother and author Marlee Bradley has penned a plea to white parents to teach their children about racism.
Bradley‚ who together with her husband are raising six kids aged nine and under‚ has written an open letter which was posted on www.scarymommy.com‚ and comes in the wake of American police shooting two black men.
“My son is getting older‚ and as he transitions from an adorable black boy to a strong black man‚ I know the assumptions about him will change. And I need your help in keeping him safe‚” Bradley starts by saying in her letter‚ titled ‘Dear White Parents Of My Black Child’s Friends: I Need Your Help’.
“We talk to our son about safety issues. We talk to him about being respectful of police (and anyone in authority)‚ about keeping his hands where they are visible‚ about not wearing his hood up over his face or sneaking through the neighbour’s backyard during hide-and-seek or when taking a shortcut home from school‚” she writes.
“But here’s the thing... There may come a time when your child will be involved. As the parents of the white friend of my black child‚ I need you to be talking to your child about racism. I need you to be talking about the assumptions other people might make about my son. I need you to talk to your child about what they would do if they saw injustice happening.”
Of Bradley’s children‚ two are biological and four are adopted‚ one hailing from Liberia.
She shares the pain she feels when her black son is continuously bullied by schoolmates based on the colour of his skin.
She says: “It is easy to think we live in a colour-blind society when you don’t know that two weeks ago I was on the phone with the principal at my son’s school to discuss the racial insults he was regularly receiving from the student sitting next to him“.
In addition to having her son bullied at school‚ she had to deal with social workers who were called by a neighbour who wanted to them to take away her black children.
“I don’t want to begin to tell you the trauma it is to former foster kids when a social worker shows up at your house to interview them‚ and I’m afraid I haven’t yet forgiven our neighbour for bringing that on our family (although it was quickly determined to be a ridiculous complaint and there was no further action taken).”
For Bradley’s full letter visit: http://www.scarymommy.com/author/maralee-bradley/
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos