Please Help

Today's post is for Stephanie Bennett, her baby daughter Evelyn and her supportive parents in their battle against the shameful actions of a school official and a greedy, maniuplative agency. Please read and help. This was posted by a friend who has been helping the Bennetts.

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 to 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
CoordinatorMichael Labriola,
Academy Principal Dave Pilati
Academy Principal Cindy Donnelly, PrincipalMark Parent, Assistant Principal,

Plain Local School District901
44th St., N.W.
Canton, OH 44709

Christopher Smith, Local Superintendent
Tom Brabson, Special Assistant to SuperintendentN. Kathleen Jordan, TreasurerJim Aquilo, Admn AssistJim Knis, Business ManagerJim Gertz, Director of Programs

The Honorable Arlene J. SetzerChair,
House Education Committee
Ohio House of Representatives
77 South High Street13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43266

The Honorable Joy Padgett
Ohio SenateSenate 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. CainThe At-Large Members are Robin C. HovisStephen MillettEric C. OkersonEmerson J. Ross, Jr.Carl WickSue WestendorfAnn Wormer Benjamin

Here is the information for the Akron Beacon, which 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 Stewart330-996-3507 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.comEditorial
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-Marandon and 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
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.

And thank you, from me, Robin, as well. These people deserve all the help they can get.