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This week I spoke to a member of government that believes racial disparities in child welfare are due to poverty and not racism.
In case others also think this way, here's a thread summarizing points by @IjeomaOluo on the integration of race with our economic system:
In case others also think this way, here's a thread summarizing points by @IjeomaOluo on the integration of race with our economic system:
"Race was not only created to justify a racially exploitative economic system, it was invented to lock people of color into the bottom of it"
Race enabled certain people (often White) to benefit because other people (often Black & Indigenous) existed to get less.
Race enabled certain people (often White) to benefit because other people (often Black & Indigenous) existed to get less.
"Our class system is oppressive and violent and harms a lot of people of all races"
"But the same hammer won't tear down all the walls...What keeps an able-bodied Black woman poor is not what keeps a disabled white man poor, even if the outcomes look the same"
"But the same hammer won't tear down all the walls...What keeps an able-bodied Black woman poor is not what keeps a disabled white man poor, even if the outcomes look the same"
"While some argue that these issues of racism must be addressed, others argue that these issues are not race issues, and after much frustration trying to determine whether or not the yet-to-be-had conversation is indeed about race, somebody gives up and walks away..."
"There are very few hardships out there that hit only people of color and not White people, but there are a lot of hardships that hit people of color a lot more than White people"
"It is about race if it disproportionately or differently effects people of color"
"It is about race if it disproportionately or differently effects people of color"
Black and Indigenous children are disproportionately present in CPS reports and investigations.
Poor children of all races are also disproportionately present.
So, racism along with poverty, are effecting reports, investigations, and substantiations of maltreatment.
Poor children of all races are also disproportionately present.
So, racism along with poverty, are effecting reports, investigations, and substantiations of maltreatment.
Government data on maltreatment prevalence is sorely lacking, let alone on data on experiences of POC in the system.
Continuing to make policy decisions with unrepresentative data that ignores the intersection of race with poverty is harmful to say the least.
Continuing to make policy decisions with unrepresentative data that ignores the intersection of race with poverty is harmful to say the least.
