Should Adoption History be a required class?

Shawna Mama

No I don't think that should be a requirement, it should be an option. It's a good thing when a mother who feels she can not take care of a child gives her child up for adoption. Just think about the other options she has. maybe i'm not understanding your question also.

Jennifer L

A good chunk of one of the adoption classes we took talked about adoption history, orphan trains, BSE, etc. The binder/handouts we received for that class are somewhere in storage or I'd go dig for them.

I do not know whether expectant mothers considering relinquishment received this same education or not. The class was run by an agency that only did homestudies/post placement. They were not directly involved with relinquishment.

But yes, a good grasp of understanding adoption history is important.

Mei-Ling

Yes.

I read an interesting quote once on a biological mother's blog:

"Adoption is when your mother becomes a stranger and a stranger becomes your mother."

So damned true.

Lori A

I think it's a very good idea.

There are aspects of adoption that need not be repeated. The whole BSE, assuming babies are clean slates, don't tell and they will never know, just to mention a few.

First parents need to know what they are in for as well.

If they did do that you might not have as many children available afterward as before the class though.

Love!

At first I was like, no, that doesn't make any sense, but for expectant mothers and PAP's, yes.

Sly

I believe that studying the history of adoption is a good idea for everyone. The history of the EMS/BSE I believe should be added to every history book in the schools, like the Holocaust or the genocide in Bosnia or the study of WW2. It is the same as when any time a single segment of a society is isolated and segregated and singled out for punitive treatment, an abnormality and should be taught so that it isn't repeated.

However, I am afraid that the people who could use it the most would be the least affected by it, saying instead that all those others should watch it and never see themselves in it. It is way too easy to again fall back on the otherness thing and of course, we have the "None so blind as they that will not see" thing, too.

Nevertheless, knowledge is power and the more the society is exposed to the horror of a society that preys on young women and commodifies their children the sickness of the society the stronger the message will be for change

tish

yes. and to those who believe "after relinquishment, that's all in the past" one could say that about people who want to adopt because they "aged out" of the fertility spectrum. but that would be insensitive, now wouldn't it.

mscrawdad

It was in the county I adopted my children in. They were very up front about the difficulties involved and the considered "failed adoption" rate and the issues associated with adoption for all parties.

Kazi

I would have attended that class.

Yes, I do think it would be a good idea. Our agency was excellent, we had to attend a mandatory class that focused on the importance of honesty and culture and race and lenghty discussions about gratitude (and why kids shouldn't feel grateful for being adopted) and first moms and adoptees came in to speak as well.

Just a Mom

My partner has her BSW and learned a lot of adoption history in class. It was enough to make her steer clear of being an adoption worker!

Penny A (Vanessa)

No. History is exactly that....history. Relinquishment concerns the present and future, not the past, and will change the future irrevocably.

PS. I assume your question refers to general adoption history and not the history of the people involved in this particular case. Either way it's not clear to me.

Zeena

No.

saira k

No because its not really history.
no one is like "Oh sarah adopted a baby, lets put it in the history books"
damn. that book would be huge!

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