I am passing the following on as help is desperatly needed. Please feel free to pass this on to whatever blogs, lists, forums, etc…a flood of letters is very necessary.
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I really need help! The Bennett family desperately needs letters be written, preferably snail mail, if at all possible, and emails if nothing else. I am attaching addresses below, and I will bring you up to speed as much as I possibly can….
I received a phone call from Judy Bennett this morning. She is Stephanie’s mother and a very nice lady. She got a phone call from the reporter and they are going to do another article about Steph and about the case. I will bring you up to speed as much as I can so that you will be informed.
Stephanie went to the school guidance counselor’s office and mentioned adoption to him. The guy never said a single word to her, but turned in his seat, reached in his drawer and pulled out a pamphlet and business card for the agency and made a phone call. They made arrangements for Steph to come into his office the next day, the agency women were there, and they had Steph sign the papers there in the counselor’s office. The woman from the agency told Steph in front of the counselor that she should run away from home in case her parents tried to stop her. She said that it was illegal to run away and the woman told her no, that she was the mother of Evelyn and could.
They sent her to some safe house place where she stayed. The Bennetts were terrified and had no idea where she was, so they called the police. The police called the agency after speaking to the counselor apparently and the agency told them that they had no idea where she was. They essentially lied through their teeth… imagine that! An agency lying!!!
But, the point is that all of this was conducted in the Guidance Counselor’s office, in front of him. This is unethical, immoral and breaches every kind of trust issue there is for counselors.
Oh, I have not been able to verify this, but the asst. Superintendent supposedly is the one who owns the agency, and he resigned last week as Asst. Super.
I am including some addresses below. Please write to some of these folks and ask questions, register your unhappiness at the school’s part in this.
I will also include other addresses, if you are in a letter writing mood…..Letters could turn the trick on this, I really think. BTW, the counselor’s name is Thomas Saltsman, and his signature is all over the relinquishment docs.
Glen Oak High School
1301 Schneider Street, N.E.
Canton, OH 44721
Mark Harman, Principal/HS Curriculum Coordinator
Michael Labriola, Academy Principal
Dave Pilati, Academy Principal
Cindy Donnelly, Principal
Mark Parent, Assistant Principal
Plain Local School District
901-44th St., N.W.
Canton, OH 44709
Christopher Smith, Local Superintendent
Tom Brabson, Special Assistant to Superintendent
N. Kathleen Jordan, Treasurer
Jim Aquilo, Admn Assist
Jim Knis, Business Manager
Jim Gertz, Director of Programs
The Honorable Arlene J. Setzer
Chair, House Education Committee
Ohio House of Representatives
77 South High Street
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43266
The Honorable Joy Padgett
Ohio Senate
Senate Building Room 035
Columbus, OH 43215
State Board of Education
Office of Board Relations
Ohio Department of Education Building
25 S. Front St.
7th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
They are in District 8 and their rep is Deborah L. Cain
The At-Large Members are
Robin C. Hovis
Stephen Millett
Eric C. Okerson
Emerson J. Ross, Jr.
Carl Wick
Sue Westendorf
Ann Wormer Benjamin
Here is the information for the Akron Beacon, who has been the only newspaper in the country that reported on this, and another article coming. The reporter’s name is Rick Armon and his email addy is rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com Very nice man.
Contact us by Email or Phone ________________________________________
Postal address
Akron Beacon Journal
44 East Exchange Street
P.O. Box 640
Akron, OH 44309-0640
Publisher, Edward R. Moss
330-996-3483
emoss@thebeaconjournal.com
Managing Editor, Mizell Stewart
330-996-3507
mstewart@thebeaconjournal.com
Deputy Managing Editor, Bruce Winges
330-996-3858
bwinges@thebeaconjournal.com
Metro Editor, Ann Sheldon Mezger
(Coverage of local news)
330-996-3586
amezger@thebeaconjournal.com
Editorial Page Editor, Michael Douglas
(Comments about editorial page)
330-996-3512
mdouglas@thebeaconjournal.com
Letters to Voice of the People
vop@thebeaconjournal.com
And, finally the agency….
A Child’s Waiting.
Ohio Adoption Agency
3490 Ridgewood Rd., Akron, Ohio 44333
The names of the women there are:
Jennifer Bessemer-Marando
Crissy Bessemer-Kolarik
They are sisters and both are counselors at the agency. The husband of Crissy Bessemer-Kolarik is an adoption attorney.
There can also be letters written to the Courthouse, where Stephanie’s case will be held. You can send them to the Magistrate’s Office, Summit County Courthouse at 209 S. High Street, Akron, Ohio 44308
Thank you all so very much for the time and effort you are making on behalf of this family. They are good people who have done everything right. They do not deserve to have this kind of treatment, nor does Baby Evelyn. Please take a moment and send a note to some of these people.
I will send some letters. Thank you for providing this information.
If I’m remembering right, a very lively discussion about adoption was carried on on the Akron newspaper website a few years ago.
I posted this on my blog, as well, Claud, and have letters in the snail mail. I would really love to see the agency investigated…THOROUGHLY! “A Child’s Waiting” has had an unsavory odor wafting from their general direction for a while now. And the involvement of a school counselor is totally criminal.
PERHAPS YOU WILL FIND THIS HOPEFUL
The Tennessee Supreme Court gave custody of Anna Mae He to her birth parents Jack and Casey He.
Anna Mae He has been at the center of a custody fight between her birth parents and the family that raised her.
In a 21 page ruling, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled custody of Anna Mae he must be returned to her birth parents because they have the ability to be good parents and never meant to sign away their rights to their daughter.
Tuesday, Casey He said, “I have waited for this moment long time. I am happy today.”
He husband Jack said, “ I’ll be excited to her hold her (Anna Mae.)”
The He’s gave Anna Mae to Jerry and Louise Baker about six years ago. When they asked for their daughter back, the Bakers refused.
That began a custody fight between the two families. For the first time in years, The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that it is the He’s who should have custody.
The ruling reads, “We hold that the parents of Anna Mae He did not voluntarily transfer custody and guardianship of Anna Mae He to the Bakers with knowledge of the consequences and, therefore are entitled to superior rights to custody.”
The Tennessee Supreme Court also acknowledges the He’s only intended to give Anna Mae away for a short time.
Its ruling reads, “The evidence overwhelming shows that the parents voluntary relinquishment of custody was entered as a temporary measure to provide health insurance for Anna Mae He with the full intent that custody would be returned.”
The court also says removing Anna Mae from the Bakers’ home will not harm 7 year old girl.
The judges ruling reads, “Here, the only evidence of substantial harm arises from delay caused by the protracted litigation and the failure of the court system to protect the parent-child relationship throughout the proceedings. Evidence that Anna Mae he will be harmed from a change in custody because she has lived and bonded with the Bakers cannot constitute the substantial harm required to prevent the parents from regaining custody.”
Today’s ruling is most likely not the end of the He’s long court battle. However, it is probably the beginning of the couple getting to know the daughter they say they never meant to give away. Jack He says, “In her heart, she know she’s Chinese, she has a Chinese mother and father. We are confident the transition will be smooth and successful.”
Jerry and Louise Baker only gave a short statement about Tuesday ruling.
They say their faith in God will help them through this tough time.
Jerry Baker says, “What we can be assured of and what we’re trying to believe with all of our heart is that he knows more than we’ll ever know, that he’s going to protect the Bakers, he’s going to protect the He’s.”
The Bakers can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. They have 90 days to make that decision. Right now, their lawyer says its too early to decide whether they will appea
This is wonderful news about Anna Mae. There’s something very wrong with people who refuse real parents their child and it’s long past time for that to be acknowledged, studied and firmly stopped. This worries me though, because the Supreme Court Chief Justice is an adoptor so we know how he would rule if the case ever got to him.
I just hope these terrible abuses by PAP’s and their henchmen educate many people so they are on guard against these predators. Just as children are taught about kidnappers and molestors, every female needs to be educated about adoption-speak, PAP’s and adoption attorneys and agencies and their stealth sympathizers.
Claud amazing again…I have a few letters written…off they go tomorrow…
OK, I’m just sitting here kind of open-mouthed because this is where I live. This is, in fact, our school district.
I need to re-read your post so I know exactly what I need to write. Hmmmm, a voting taxpayer in their own school district, a district that, no less, is having extremely bad luck at getting school levies passed.
*back to re-read this*
And BTW, are there any other posts about this that I should be directed to?