Upphärad Sweden 2007-11-19

Alton, Merlin and Jim,

The very unfortunate recent events that have surfaced regarding the Minnesota worker Tim Severud have focused attention on some other instances of similar sexual abuse that have come to light within the fellowship of friends and workers of recent years. I have been contacted by a number of folks involved who have expressed concern with what perhaps could seem like a disregard by senior workers for the seriousness of the problem -- and some others have gotten the impression that the most important concern for senior workers has been to keep the problem under camouflage, and to hinder exposed families with children access to the proper information to make responsible decisions for their families.

One very clear example of this is the complete lack of information to exposed families is regarding a similar instance that has been under tight silence control around Bruce Wadell, (that at the moment is working for my brother Jim in Saskatoon.)

Openness is closely related to honesty, and generally regarded as the best for all parties -- both for victims, and even in the best interests of rehabilitation of the perpetrators, -- I trust that you will take the steps necessary to relieve Bruce of his promise of silence -- and to inform all vulnerable families of the the indications you are aware of that could possibly could be pertinent to their decision making in the welfare of their children. This risk assessment is both morally and legally a call to be made by the exposed parents – (not by senior workers with an organizational agenda as first responsibility)

I trust that I will receive some kind of acknowledgement of your concern in this issue, so that a number of us 'onlookers' can lay the issue to rest without further involvement in the sharing of this alarming information. As I am sure you aware of, recent developments in our society have clearly highlighted the legal responsibilities connected with trivializing the dangers of sex offenders -- and the legal responsibilities to inform exposed families.

Sincerely
Edgar Massey




I will enclose a copy of the police report concerning Tim Severud just as a reminder that these these issues cannot be regarded as simple errors in judgement. If such should be the case, it is the exposed families that should be given the information necessary to make that decision. This principle has both moral and legal significance.