For the Bennetts

I didn't plan on participating in the action on behalf of Stephanie Bennett and her family because I'm fairly certain that both of this blog's readers are already familiar with the case. Also, I knew others would write about it far better than I could.

But it turns out that I do have something I would like to suggest to my fellow adoptive parents. When we hear about a situation like the Bennetts', it can be tempting to believe it does not affect us because we adopted internationally/used a good agency/didn't use an agency/adopted through foster care/feel confident that our child was placed for good reasons and in an ethical way. But when a case like this occurs, it casts a shadow over all families created through adoption. No matter how tidy our own corner, we are all still part of the larger, messy adoption world.

Adoptions should never happen this way. Ever. When Stephanie was feeling overwhelmed as a new parent and reached out for help, she should have found a network of supportive adults seeking what was best for her and her daughter. Instead she was rushed into signing away her parental rights. Even if the agency workers and school counselor acted technically within state law, by any measure of morality or common decency they greatly missed the mark.

OriginsUSA, an antiadoption group, has organized a letter writing campaign and petition in support of the Bennetts. Even if you don't fully agree with their positions on adoption or adoption reform, consider adding your voice to the effort. It is too late for a wholly positive conclusion to this story, no matter how it eventually ends. But we can still hope for a just resolution for Stephanie and Evelyn Bennett.