He was eight years old. He had a brother two years younger. His dad was a
Vietnam Vet and his mom was not around anymore. She moved back to Japan
where she was from when he was just 4. One day a stranger came to the door.
His Dad told him and his brother that they had to leave with the stranger. He
did not understand. Where was he going? Why wasn’t he staying with his
Dad? The stranger was a social worker from Child Protective Services and he is
Mark Teague, a Sherman resident. Here is his story…
Paying It Forward
An Interview by Vickie Woodard
INFO: Where did the CPS social
worker take you and why?
MARK: She took my brother and
me to the San Antonio Children’s
Shelter. We were living in San
Antonio at the time. I guess after my
mother left and my Dad returned
from Vietnam, he just couldn’t handle
taking care of us.
INFO: Can you tell me how you felt
and what was running through your
mind?
MARK: It was weird, I actually did
not cry. It was more of a sense of
relief because our situation at home
was not good. I was worried about
what would happen to me and was
scared that I would not get to stay
with my brother.
INFO: What was it like when you got
to the shelter?
MARK: We actually had a great
caseworker that believed it was
important to keep my brother and
me together, so we were at the shelter
for over a year. Many of the kids
that were at the orphanage were
cycled out to foster families. We
were placed with one family for
awhile. They were a loving couple,
but very young. I guess they started
having marital problems, so they
called our caseworker to come and
get us.
INFO: That had to be disappointing?
MARK: Yes. I thought we had found
a home, just to be taken back to the
shelter. At that point, I stopped
believing that a family would want
me. I didn’t believe anybody when
they said they loved me.
INFO: Did you stay at the shelter
from then on out?
MARK: Fortunately not. At age 9,
my brother and I were placed with a
family who later adopted us. My
adoptive parents are great. They
already had four girls, so I had four
sisters all the sudden.
INFO: How did that work out?
MARK: It was a great family. They
are my parents. I am thankful that
they were willing to take us in and
adopt us. If it had not been for them,
I do not know what would have
happened to me or how I would
have turned out as an adult.
INFO: As an adult, you have chosen
to donate your time and resources to
helping other children. Can you tell
us more?
MARK: Well, I am President of the
Grayson County Child Welfare
Board. We help other agencies and
community based programs that
serve the needs of abused and neglected
children. We try to fill the
gaps financially that the state doesn’t
provide. I remember when I was
in the orphanage; we had to wear
old, worn out clothes that didn’t fit
us to school, because that is all that
was available. We try to provide for
clothing allowances, Christmas
gifts, etc.
INFO: What else does the Board
provide?
MARK:We provide funding for drug
testing of parents whose children are
in the system. When state funds run
out for this testing, there is no other
agency that provides the additional
funding. It is critical that these parents
with a history of drug abuse be
tested regularly. If they are not, the
addiction will continue, thus putting
their children at risk. It is now running
about $1,200 a month because
of all the parents that cannot pay for
the test.
INFO: How do you raise money for
the board?
MARK: One of our main sources of
income is the jury stipend. When
you serve jury duty, you are legally
required to receive a stipend. All
jurors have the option to donate the
stipend to the Child Welfare Board.
Most jurors do, but I don’t think the
public knows what the stipend
money can be used to accomplish.
INFO: You are also an attorney and
have prosecuted child abuse cases in
the past?
MARK: I am not a prosecutor now,
but in the past have worked many
child welfare cases where we terminated
parent’s rights and got the
kids placed in permanent adoptive
homes. I learned through that experience
what an important role CPS
plays in these children’s life. CPS
was the tool that changed my life.
My caseworker was the glue that
held my brother and me together.
INFO: Can you tell me about the
exciting event that happened in
your own family about a year ago?
MARK: This is where “pay it forward”
and coming full circle enters
the equation. About a year ago my
wife and I went to China and adopted
a child. Our son was abandoned
at the hospital when he was 6 days
old because he was born with a cleft
palate. I guess his biological parents felt they could not
care for a child with a need like Hudsons.
He is three years old now
and is doing great!
INFO: That is awesome. Had it not
been for you and your wife opening
your home to this child, he would
not have had the opportunity to live
in a loving home and get the medical
care he needed?
MARK: That’s right. Just like my
brother and I. It has been an incredibly
rewarding experience! I encourage
everyone reading this interview
today to consider becoming
foster or adoptive parents. Just think
of every child right here in our city
that does not have a loving family. If
it is not possible to be a foster parent,
then please consider helping the
Grayson County Child Welfare
Board provide the funds necessary
to keep our children safe and happy.
INFO: What a happy ending for you
and your son. Thank you for talking
with us today!
MARK: You are welcome. I hope as
a community, we can make a happy
ending for every child.
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