AM I ALONE? The Prevalence of Biracial Children in America

Bill of Rights for Racially Mixed People By Maria P.P. Root I have the right……….. Not to justify my existence in this world. Not to keep the races separate within me. Not to be responsible for people’s discomfort with my physical ambiguity. Not to justify my ethnic legitimacy. I have the right………. To identify myself differently than strangers expect me to identify. To identify myself differently from how my parents identify me. To identify myself differently from my brothers and sisters. To identify myself differently in different sitiuations.

Bill of Rights for Racially Mixed People By Maria P.P. Root I have the right…….. To create a vocabulary to communicate about being multiracial. To change my identity over my lifetime - - and more than once. To have loyalties and identification with more than one group of people. To freely choose whom I befriend and love.

Multiracial Children and Education  Multiracial children not only have to deal with the difficulties of childhood and family situations, but they also must deal with identity issues and concerns about being different.  Multicultural education encourages children to develop positive cross cultural attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors.

Multiracial Children and Education: Importance of Schools  School professionals including teachers, administrators, and counselors must be aware of their own biases and prejudices.  They should seek out information from books, the Internet, interracial support groups, and discussions with interracial families.

Multiracial Children and Education: Importance of Teachers  Teachers are in a position to positively impact students with positive climates and an accepting classroom, therefore creating a sense of belonging.  Classrooms need to have an atmosphere of trust and openness where multiracial children can feel comfortable.

Multiracial Children and Education: Curriculum  Many aspects of the school climate make multiracial students feel invisible and uncomfortable: a lack of familiar visual images in books and materials, no interracial doll families; posters and marketing and public relation materials.

Multiracial Children and Education: Curriculum  Content of the curriculum materials for schools should include the history and contributions of multiracial Americans since colonial times.  Curriculum should present information on and show pictures of people of many racial and ethnic groups, including those of mixed heritage and address directly the history of racism against groups of people, including the multiracial population.

Myths and Realities  Myth: Biracial children are messed up. The prevailing myth is that biracial children in birth, foster, adoptive and blended homes suffer greatly.  Reality: Biracial children are, as a group, as successful as other children. Because biracial children combine genes from two isolated groups, they show a wide range of mental ability, as well as physical characteristics.

Myths and Realities  Myth: Given a choice, biracial children choose a minority identity. Because society does not recognize biracial children, the assumption is that children from interracial marriages all identify with the minority community and view themselves as minorities.  Reality: Multiracial students are exploring their total heritage. While many multiracial adults do identify solely with the minority community – especially those over 30- there is a movement in colleges around the country of multiracial students exploring their heritage.

“Are you black or are you white – I can’t tell” Young children spend a lot of time and energy comparing themselves to others, understanding how they fit into the family and school, and deciding about their identity. During early childhood is usually when biracial children begin to ask about their identity.

“Your daddy’s white and your mother’s black, so what are YOU?” Sometimes these questions are triggered by prejudicial statements about the way they look. These questions are very natural, since young children are trying to find out about their world, and how they fit into it.

The Teacher’s Reaction As teachers, we should help young biracial children respond to these questions, find out who they are, and help them feel good about being biracial. This is the age when help identity starts, which is why it is so critical to support this exploration.

Stereotypes of Biracial Children: A Personal Narrative  “I have constantly been asked what problems I have, being biracial. Each time I have been lucky enough to answer that I have no problems.”  “It is very frustrating to me when everyone seems to expect me to have problems just because of my race.”

Stereotypes of Biracial Children: Too Normal?  “I have been turned down by many interviewers simply because I am too normal. Why can’t we let everyone know that biracial people are just like people of all other races: Why can’t they know we are normal?”  “It is easier for society to think that people who are different have problems, that to accept them as normal.”

Lost Poem of Langston Hughes My old man’s a white old man And my old mother’s black. If ever I cursed my white old man I take my curses back.

Lost Poem of Langston Hughes If ever I cursed my black old mother And wished she were in hell, I’m sorry for that evil wish And now I wish her well.

Lost Poem of Langston Hughes My old man died in a fine big house. My ma died in a shack. I wonder where I’m going to die, Being neither white nor black?

Biracial Celebrities Mariah Carey Singer/actress/ songwriter

Biracial Celebrities Tiger Woods Played on the PGA Golf Tour

Biracial Celebrities Halle Berry Former Miss Ohio 1 st runner-up in the Miss USA pageant Model/Actress

Weblinks and Articles This article discusses the negativity associated with being biracial and how to advocate for biracial children. This article discusses the testimony of a biracial teen and her thoughts and feelings on being accepted in a predominantly white community.

Weblinks and Articles This article provides information on the struggles of a young biracial child and suggests how educators can help these students. This article discusses the common myths that are associated with biracial children and the realities of these assumptions.

Weblinks and Articles multandeduc.htmhttp:// multandeduc.htm This article stresses the importance and basis of multicultural education and gives advice for education professionals who teach biracial children. tmlhttp:// tml This article discusses the current increase in biracial marriages, which will result in a larger population of biracial children in our schools.

Weblinks and Articles This article discusses the challenges a young biracial family must deal with and how they are coping with the hate messages that are spreading throughout their neighborhood. This article discusses the civil rights of minority groups and the movement of NAEYC to serve children from diverse families.