To the Editor:
In her guest essay titled “I Understand Why Michael Oher Is Angry,” Elizabeth Spiers provides a commendable analysis of Michael Oher’s lawsuit to end his legal relationship with the Tuohy family. As a white adoptive mother of two Black sons, I appreciate Ms. Spiers’s perspective on the importance of this situation.
Ms. Spiers goes beyond just pointing out the racist stereotypes in “The Blind Side,” both the book and the film about Mr. Oher, and delves into the bigger issue of racism within private schools, college athletics, and professional sports. She rightly argues that the concept of “white savior syndrome” is nothing more than a disguised form of white supremacy.
Back in 1992, during our six-week training program to become foster/adoptive parents, my husband and I were made aware of the tragedy that marked the lives of children in the system due to their biological parents’ inability to care for them. This realization was a shock to me and made me confront my own blind spots.
Apart from losing their biological parents, my sons, being adopted by white parents, have also had to face the loss of privacy. From a young age, it was apparent to everyone that they were adopted and that their biological parents were unable to care for them. This lack of privacy has added another layer of complexity to their lives.
Over the years, some people have commended us for adopting our sons. However, I always make it a point to emphasize that people don’t usually receive praise for having biological children, and we are simply grateful to have been able to adopt our sons.
Kathleen Wach
Washington
To the Editor:
I’m surprised by Elizabeth Spiers’s use of unwarranted stereotypes and generalizations in her essay. No one assumes that “Black children are automatically better off with nice white parents than their own biological parents.”
Is it ideal for my adopted Black child to have white and wealthy parents like us? No. But it was also not ideal for him to grow up in his birth parents’ household. Fostering and adopting are solutions that arise when there is no perfect option available. It’s a world of compromise and second-best choices. Instead of demonizing us foster/adoptive parents, I wish Ms. Spiers could offer some constructive solutions.
Betsy Tomic
Ossining, N.Y.
To the Editor:
As a white parent of four children, two of whom are people of color, I take offense at the generalization that I adopted out of a sense of providing a more enlightened home than parents of the same race as my children. My wife and I consider ourselves fortunate to have the opportunity to experience all the joys and challenges of parenthood. We reject the assumption that our skin color makes us better qualified or entitled to parent.
Michael Fitzgerald
Ben Lomond, Calif.
Mitch McConnell’s Health
To the Editor:
Mitch McConnell’s medical clearance to continue working, as reported in the article “Senator Shares Doctor’s Letter Saying He’s ‘Medically Clear’ to Work,” does not address the concern about his ability to govern responsibly. While his health may not be immediately endangered, it remains unclear whether his cognitive capacities are fully intact. To determine this, neuropsychological testing is necessary.
Michael Robbins
Amherst, Mass.
(Former professor of clinical psychiatry at Harvard Medical School)
The Education Department’s Successes
To the Editor:
Presidential candidates are once again calling for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, established in 1979. However, if the department’s existence has been so harmful, one would expect to see stagnation or decline in test scores and graduation rates. Yet, that has not been the case.
Over the past 40 years, educational outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities – a key focus of the Education Department’s equity policies – have substantially improved at a faster rate than for white students. The reading and math scores of Black and Hispanic students have risen significantly, and high school completion rates for these groups have seen substantial increases.
While there is still work to be done to further improve outcomes for Black and Hispanic students, the significant progress achieved so far does not support the argument for eliminating the Education Department.
Alan Ginsburg
Chevy Chase, Md.
(Former director of Policy and Program Studies at the Education Department)
What You Can Do to Help Combat Climate Change
To the Editor:
For individuals concerned about climate change who feel unsure about making a difference, here are some suggestions:
– Consume less.
– Fly less.
– Drive less, and consider switching to an electric car.
– Compost your food waste.
– Buy local.
– Eat less meat.
– Convert your lawn to a landscape of native plants and trees.
– Conserve energy and transition to renewable sources.
– Advocate for the end of fossil fuel subsidies and new oil and gas infrastructure.
While it may be impossible to do all of these things, choosing a few can significantly contribute to combating the climate crisis.
Mary K. Stevens
Guilford, Conn.
Making Bathrooms Coed
To the Editor:
There is a simple solution to the controversial bathroom law in Florida – coed bathrooms. Many colleges already have coed bathrooms that function perfectly fine. During my time at Wesleyan University, I lived in a coed dorm with coed bathrooms and showers, and it was not a problem. Each toilet stall and shower had separate spaces, providing plenty of privacy. This setup is common in communal bathrooms and ensures privacy for all.
Sarah Flanders
Pittsburgh
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