The Homefront: The Curious Case of Jordan Powers

Pictured, l to r: Tammie Powers, Jordan Powers and James Hooker.

     As a parent, certain stories involving the trials and tribulations that other parents go through often catch my eye. This morning while perusing the various local and national news sources, I came across an item that is fast becoming viral. It has gone from the local Modesto Bee, to the local ABC affiliates, to the national spotlight on Good Morning America. There’s even talk that Nancy Grace is going to have a go at this one; it is the torrid tale of Jordan Powers, 18-year-old former high school student of Modesto, California, and her 41-year-old lover, former business teacher James Hooker.

     Hooker it seems, is one of Jordan’s former teachers from her time at James C. Enochs High School in Modesto. According to news coverage of the issue, the two became acquainted while Jordan was a Freshman at Enochs High, but that the romantic aspect of their relationship only blossomed after she turned 18 in September of last year. For his part, Hooker has left a wife and children, and resigned (or has been suspended, depending on the news source) from his teaching post at the school so that he could facilitate this relationship with the young Miss Powers.

     Jordan’s mother, Tammie Powers (née Mullins) is skeptical of the claims being made by her daughter and Mr. Hooker regarding when the relationship began, and has voiced her suspicions of an earlier start to said relationship. “She looked up to him,” Powers said. “He was in the position of an educator, you don’t abuse your student. Period. She’s still in high school. She still lives at home. She has a curfew. … That’s not OK.” Now, mom has taken to her Facebook page, using it as a forum for her efforts to thwart the relationship between her daughter and James Hooker, as well as seeking his possible incarceration over the issue.

     My fine young readers, let me begin my opining on this one by noting that there is quite often, more to these types of stories than what meets the eye. Unfortunately, we can only go with what we know or have been told by those who are “in the know.” In that respect, there are a few things about the situation that bug the hell out of me, let alone the fact that this man is evidently having a mid-life crisis!

     First, the economics of the situation are impossible. James Hooker has been suspended from his teaching job, left a wife and children behind, obtained an apartment (separate dwelling from his house, where wife and children remain,) and commenced a romantic relationship with a girl that is still pursuing her last year of compulsory education. Oh, but wait! Allow me to map this out for you all in bullet points;

•      James Hooker has lost his job = less / no income coming into either his former or current home(s). [NEGATIVE INCOME]
•      James Hooker has left his wife and children = divorce, coupled with alimony and child support. [DEBIT COLUMN]
•      James Hooker has left a home behind = possible house payment(s). [DEBIT COLUMN]
•      James Hooker has assumed financial responsibility for a new apartment = increased housing and utility costs. [DEBIT COLUMN]
•      Finally, James Hooker has assumed financial support of a young adult who is still in high school. [DEBIT COLUMN]

     Does anyone other than myself, see anything hinky about this? Unless Mr. Hooker is a trust fund baby, has a very lucrative side job or is rich beyond the dreams of avarice, I don’t see this ending well. Please keep in mind that the one thing that new couples argue and fight about, more than anything else, is the issue of money. I know this personally…been there, done that. Have the tee-shirt, the sweater and the coffee mug!

     Second, I don’t personally see how young Miss Powers could have any inkling of an idea about the psychology involved with this situation. It’s quite evident that James Hooker is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Who else forsakes their job, their home, their family and whatever dignity they might have had, solely to pursue what could only be a “puppy love” relationship with a girl half their age? For the love of GOD, man! Buy a motorcycle or a convertible, grow a ponytail, start rollerblading, bungee jumping or white-water rafting, but cheeze and rice! Don’t go starting a fleeting “May-September” romance with a girl who’s too young to understand what’s going on, or what time it really is! Go grow a goatee, get an ear pierced or get a tattoo! Anything but robbing the cradle!

     In addition, I have a few simple thoughts as to what might have precipitated this move by young Jordan. Her mother stated that she was “still in high school, still at home and has a curfew.” She has also stated to the media that until Jordan was “of age,” that she was not allowed to view any “R-rated” movies, and was a “compliant” child in the home. It seems to me that Jordan might be coming out from under the umbrella of a situation that she felt was overly controlling or restrictive. (As I don’t know the Powers’ personally, I just don’t know.) But that would be my guess.

     As a parent, I sent “mom” Powers correspondence. In it, I expressed my opinion that since Jordan is indeed an adult now, that Tammie needs to let go. I also encouraged her to be vigilant, and to keep a weather eye on the situation. This problematic situation is however, one that young Jordan Powers will have to reckon out on her own, for her own growth.

______________________________

For further reading on the topic, please see the following articles:

1) Enochs High teacher resigns after leaving wife, kids for student, 18 // Modesto Bee // Published 28 February, 2012

2) California Teen Leaves School, Moves in With Former Teacher // ABC / GMA / Yahoo! News // Published 01 March, 2012

3) Modesto teacher moves in with former student, 18 // KFSN-ABC 30 // Published 01 March, 2012

4) Mother launches Facebook campaign against former teacher moving in with teen // Fox News / NewsCore // Published 02 March, 2012

5) Mom outraged after daughter moves in with teacher [VIDEO] // CNN Headline News / Nancy Grace // Published 01 March, 2012

6) Inappropriate student-teacher relationship revealed [VIDEO] // Fox News / O’Reilly Factor // Published 01 March, 2012

7) Family of Modesto teacher makes statement; Enochs’ staff ‘appalled’ // Modesto Bee // Published 02 March, 2012

The Chaser: Marriage Moves Closer To Equality

Another victory for Marriage Equality in the US

     “Tuesday’s child is full of grace…”

     Immediately on the heels of news regarding Komen, comes another related item that spells trouble for the conservative agenda in the United States. In a 2 – 1 decision by a three judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, a lower court’s 2010 ruling on California Proposition 8’s unconstitutionality has been upheld. The lower court ruled in 2010 that the voter-approved measure infringed on the civil rights of the LGBT community. In its ruling today, the panel’s majority position stated that;

    “Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently. There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted.”

     Attorneys representing the supporters of Proposition 8, along with the two couples that have petitioned the courts to overturn the ban, have both said that they would follow the appeals process, all the way up to SCOTUS if they did not receive a favorable ruling in the matter.⁽¹⁾

     This news follows Washington state’s pending adoption of new legislation that would legalise same-sex marriage. Last week, the state senate passed the legislation in a 28 – 21 vote. This week, the bill will go through the state’s House of Representatives, where passage has been claimed to be likely according to state senator Ed Murray, the bill’s sponsor. Washington state governor Christine Gregoire has stated that she would sign the bill into law if it arrives on her desk. Opponents to Marriage Equality may challenge the bill if it becomes law, with a push to bring the question before voters in November.⁽²⁾

     Likewise, the Los Angeles-based gay rights group Love, Honor, Cherish has plans to start gathering signatures for a November ballot initiative geared toward repealing Proposition 8.

     In this writer’s own humble opinion, a defeat of Proposition 8 must result in a re-evaluation of DOMA’s own constitutionality. If SCOTUS upholds that any provision in state laws that limits marriage to “one man and one woman” is a violation of the civil rights of LGBT citizens, then the Defense of Marriage Act cannot be upheld either. Once DOMA is put in its rightful place, (six feet under!) then real progress in the battle for LGBT equal rights can be realised.

Schools and Education: The Justification of Disgust

5-year-old Michael Davis, Rio Calaveras Elementary School in background.

     Our schools are suffering. Because our schools are suffering, our children are suffering as well. While there are some that stand out and truly make a difference, there are also schools that fail on such a monumental level that one can’t help but be justifiably enraged. Such is the case of Rio Calaveras Elementary School and Stockton Unified School District in Stockton, California.

     Now, I ran across this story just today on Cafe Moms of all places. I was in the process of datamining on a story about a second-grade teacher in Rockland County, New York that told her students that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.⁽¹⁾ Well, one link led to another, and I ended up reading an article in “The Stir” on Cafe Moms about young Michael Davis, a five-year-old in Stockton, California.⁽²⁾ It seems that Michael suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and has been difficult for teachers to manage in a mainstream classroom. These reported difficulties include fighting with other students and throwing classroom chairs.

     In a (rather misguided) “behavior modification” attempt by the school, LT Frank Gordo, a resource officer with the Stockton Unified School District was called in to speak with young Mr. Davis. According to the boy’s mother, Thelma Gray, this was an effort to “scare him straight.”

     At some point during this tete a tete, LT Gordo put his hand on Michael’s. According to reports, the boy reacted to this by batting the officer’s hand away, shoving some papers off of a desk and kicking the officer in the knee. As a result of this outburst, ziptie cuffs were placed on Michael Davis’s wrists and ankles, and he was subsequently taken into custody by the officer. LT Gordo then took the boy to Stockton Kaiser Psychiatric Hospital for evaluation. (Basically, LT Gordo “5150’d” the young man.) Charges were filed against Davis for battery on a police officer, however they were subsequently dismissed by a juvenile court judge.⁽³⁾

     The story however, does not end there. It seems that as a result of these latest difficulties, some new evidence has come to light. The school district, the elementary school and Stockton Unified School District Police are now being investigated by the San Joaquin County Grand Jury, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. In amongst the contributing factors cited is information which indicates that the school district delayed evaluating Michael Davis and enrolling him in resource programs to which he is lawfully entitled, simply because it would cost the school district money. (Resource programs such as “504” are mandated under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.⁽⁴⁾)

     (SOAPBOX=ON) Now, the author of the Cafe Moms article seems to have taken the side of the school, without exercising due diligence in researching all of the facts. She jumps to the support of the school and police with no consideration for the fact that, had young Michael Davis been enrolled in a resource program and had a “504” plan or IEP in place, none of this might have occurred or even been necessary, let alone that he suffers from ADHD in the first place. Regrettably, the author does not seem to be aware of the unique challenges of managing children with special needs. (If she is, she did not allude to this within her article.) Other parents meanwhile, are looking at this and crying “police brutality” without digging deeper into the reasons why Michael Davis had to be restrained.

     If we are to be justifiably disgusted about this situation, by all means let’s be disgusted for the right reasons. We should be angry with the school and school district, for failing this young man miserably, right from the git-go. They violated his rights under federal laws, deprived him of federally mandated services and programs, and dragged law enforcement into the quagmire. We should be angry with the Stockton Unified School District Police for being complicit in this kind of misguided, improper and unprofessional “behavior modification.” I highly doubt that any of the officers assigned to the SUSDP have extensive training in Special Education, or in the needs of the “learning challenged.”

     I hope the Stockton Unified School District gets its proverbial “ducks in a row.” I hope the SUSDP does a top-down reassessment of its procedures and policies where addressing children with learning disabilities is concerned. In short, I hope this becomes a “teachable moment” for all concerned.

“…because evils being once recognised, are half way on towards their remedy.” (Elizabeth Gaskell, 1810 – 1865)