Help needed for Stephanie and Evelyn Bennett

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. ************************ 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.