Descriptors

The Hidden Side of Transracial Adoptees at Our Schools

The People of Color Conference, FRI 12/6

Tina Fox, The Park School (MA)

Amanda Friedman, Miss Porter’s School (CT)

Matt Goldman, The Burgundy School (VA)

Jenny Hammond, Deerfield Academy (MA)

Descriptors and Terminology

Transnational - an adoption in which an individual or couple becomes the legal parent(s) of a child who is a national of a different country

Transracial - an adoption where the adoptee is of one race or ethnic group with adoptive parents of another race or ethnic group

Mixed Heritage - a person whose parents belong to a different racial or ethnic group

Foster - foster care refers to a minor who has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a state certified caregiver or foster parent

Adoption - Adoption is the process where a person assumes the parenting of a child from the child’s biological or legal parent or parents and permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the biological parent or parents

• Open: biological and adoptive families have access to varying degrees of each other’s personal information and have an option to contact
• Closed: no interaction of any kind between birth-parent(s) and prospective adoptive families. No identifying information is shared
• Kinship: adoption of a child by its relative, either biological or a relative by marriage.

Disruption - an adoption process that ends after the child is placed in an adoptive home or before the adoption is legally finalized