Marta I. Cruz-Janzen

In the following viewpoint, Marta I. Cruz-Janzen maintains that biracial children face considerable difficulties because society is obsessed with rigid racial boundaries. These boundaries exacerbate tensions within and between different racial groups, she points out, creating complex dilemmas for multiracial individuals. Though biracial children are part of two cultures, they are often ostracized and rejected by both. If biracial children do gain acceptance, it is usually as a result of rejecting half of their background, writes Cruz-Janzen. She concludes that society must shed its rigid racial distinctions if these children are to have any hope of claiming their full identity. Cruz-Janzen is an assistant professor in the department of secondary education at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. She is also coauthor of Educating Young Children in a Diverse Society.

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