Teacher Who Left Wife For Teen Student Jailed For Sexual Abuse

[Mega Ultra]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/page/3/

Video at link

A teacher from a high school in Modesto has resigned, left his wife and moved in with his girlfriend, an 18-year-old student.

The Enochs High School teacher and the student said they did not have a physical relationship until the day the girl turned 18. The girl's mother said she has proof that their relationship began sooner. She said she has text messages, phone records and a police report to help build her case.

So far, no arrests have been made. Investigators are trying to figure out whether or not the teacher had inappropriate contact with the student when she was underage.

The teacher, James Hooker, has left his wife and children. He has a daughter who is a junior at Enochs High School.

In an interview with the Modesto Bee, Hooker said, "In making our choice, we've hurt a lot of people. We keep asking ourselves, 'Do we make everyone else happy or do we follow our hearts?' "

The paper reported that the girl's mother has waged a public campaign on Facebook since her daughter moved in with Hooker last week.

From another source (picture at this link):

http://www.modbee.com/2012/02/28/209...gns-after.html

Powers said her first inkling that her daughter was involved with her teacher came Jan. 16, during her young son's trip to the emergency room. Hooker came to the hospital with her daughter, who left her phone with an older sister.

The sister, suspicious, found dozens of text messages from Hooker. Powers said when she confronted her daughter, she denied any romance existed. Still worried, Powers contacted Modesto police detectives the next day.

Looking back over phone records, she said she found an estimated 8,000 text messages between the teacher and student going back through the summer. In the fall, about 32 texts a day, starting at 6 a.m. were recorded, she said.

School officials contacted her about a week later with concerns, she said. Discussions between police, school and the family continued for another week, ending with Hooker's suspension Feb. 3.

At that point, Powers said, she was assured by school officials that Hooker would stay away, and her daughter said she was done with Hooker.

"She promised me they didn't have contact. I didn't know until last week there was a sexual relationship. We didn't see any of it," Powers said.

Jordan Powers' father died in 2001. Tammie Powers is engaged, and her fiancé and one of his children live with them, along with Jordan's younger brother. The mother said her fiancé "is horrified, but he's not going to fight with him."

On Facebook, Powers has called Hooker "an arrogant pervert," among other things, and urged readers to "help get the word out" about his involvement with a student.

The hundreds of responses are, for the most part, supportive of her. Many express disbelief.

His poor daughter must be humiliated. No physical relationship before she turned 18? Give me a break. I hope mom is able to prove that their relationship started sooner.

[princessgrandma]

Yeah, I'm calling total bullshit on the story about their not having a physical relationship until after she turned 18.

I think we all went through a phase where we had a crush on a teacher at some time in our school days, but if there had been anymore to it, I know my parents would have killed him, then killed me for just being.

[Ninja0980]

Even if she was at the age of consent in this case, he could still be charged,as there are excepations made when the person has a position of authority over a teen,such as being a teacher.

[Silvahalo]

Was about to post this in PW.
VIDEO HERE. . . see what you think.

[...]
I'm going to leave the legal issues up to the police here -- who are investigating, by the way, in no small part because
Jordan's mom unearthed 8,000 text messages, late-night phone calls, and email exchanges that took place when she was still a minor. I'm not even going to challenge how a
41-year-old married father (yeah, I know) could fall in love with a teenage student. The heart wants what the heart wants.I want to talk about responsibility here, and Hooker's apparent lack thereof. An adult would have gotten a handle on his emotions and, very simply, waited. Told his heart to STFU while he waited for Jordan to graduate from high school before showing her even the smallest hint of his affections.By doing that, he could have avoided all of this. He wouldn't be a one-time educator shacking up with a girl who has dropped out of school -- something that would make the toes curl on any teacher I know. He wouldn't be facing a police investigation. And he wouldn't have to spend the rest of his life asking himself, "Hey, did I use my undue influence of my position of authority to make her fall for me?"

[...]
Jeanne Sager w/ Cafe Mom

I immediately thought about my HS gymnastic coach who everyone knew was sweet on one of the girls on our team. We giggle and laughed about it, thought it kinda weird, even romantic but not altogether wrong. That was then and I was 15 going on 16. We all liked "coach", nice guy, very supportive as a "dad" or "uncle" type and never do I remember an inappropriate touch or look from him. I think they had real feelings for one another and it was rumor they married right after said team mate graduated.
Wrong. oh, yeah. But funny how my mind then didn't really see it that way and the reason I feel strongly this adult abused his position of influence and power.

As a parent today--like hell no.

[VAS1326]

I don't mean to sound like a bitch here but where was mom when she was texting this man 4 hours a night or e-mailing and talking on the phone with him??? I mean is it only a problem for the mom now that her princess left school and moved out of the house. 8000 text messages from the same number and she is not at all curious prior to that what is going on? I would be like who the Hell are you texting this much? Are you trying to tell me her mom who probably paid the bill didn't notice this was going on before September? I mean if it had been going on for years why did it take her mother so long to do something about it? You can't control your 18 year old but you sure in the Hell can stop your minor child from taking part in this relationship.

I do agree the teacher should know better then to take up with a student period.....so yes I do think he was wrong for even remotely allowing anything to happen before she was out of the school (after she graduated) I just wonder why this mother did nothing when her child was a minor.

[malq]

My thoughts are it is what it is. This is a moral issue, not a legal one. She is 18 and legal. He is 41. There is nothing anyone can do to stop it. There is no proof he groomed her or had sex with her when she was a minor, although it is blatantly obvious he at least groomed her. As long as she stays tightlipped his ass will stay out of jail. I will say one thing, he is serious about it. He left everything for her. This is no tryst.

My prediction is this young girl will get tired of the father figure, or he will get tired of dealing with a teenager. When that happens all hell will break loose. She will throw him under the bus faster than you can blink. He will get arrested and we will be posting here again. I just hope she doesn't get pregnant before she figures it out.

[TheMeaningOfItAll]

This story made me think of our Honors Psych teacher who was married to a girl who was once his student. They started the relationship when she was still in high school and he was in his late twenties. Everyone knew but he was somehow allowed to keep teaching. We loved his class because he treated us like we were on the same level as him and was very laid back. We took field trips all the time and class was basically one big discussion. Looking back on it, I am sure that is how he started out with his then wife. He would pat a couple of us girls on the back and rub our shoulders. I wonder how far things would have gone if any of us ever showed the least bit of interest...he's divorced from his wife now and I'm sure it is just like @malq said--she didn't stay young and he grew too controlling.
This guy did nothing but groom the girl from the very beginning. She's playing house. When I watched her, she seemed to be really trying hard to be "mature". I wonder how long things will last between the two. My guess is not long once real-world things start seeping in like bills, responsibility, lack of employment, divorce proceedings, custody battles, etc. I don't think they can put him in jail, though, unless the kid admits things happened before she was 18. All he has to do is get her to hold out until the stat. of limitations is up. And where WAS the outraged mother when this was all going on? She bears some responsibility in this, too.

[sugarfree irony]

I feel bad for his daughter who is still in school. Can you imagine what they are saying to her , and about her . I agree with Malq she is 18 already and there is nothing they can do to stop it .

[TheLittleFriend]

Every one was making this a huge deal. Who fuck cares? He left his wife and children. I bet his children don't like him very much. I saw the video, seen the way she kiss him. Not very affection, IMO. She will have one of her "Oh shit, what have I done?" moments.

Good luck!

[sugarfree irony]

Christopher James Hooker, 41, was arrested for investigation of oral copulation with a minor.

Police said the case stems from a 1998 relationship he had with a 17-year-old student from Davis High School in Modesto, where he once taught.

Hooker appeared in court Friday. A judge set his bail at $50,000 and assigned him a public defender, the Modesto Bee reported.

Hooker requested that his bail amount be reduced, and the judge set a hearing next Tuesday to consider the matter.

Watch: ABC News' exclusive interview with Hooker and Powers

Police said the investigation started after Hooker announced his relationship in February with Jordan Powers, whom he taught at Enochs High School in Modesto.

Appearing on numerous national talk shows and in news interviews, Hooker and Powers maintained they didn't have a sexual relationship until she turned 18, but police are investigating whether there was inappropriate contact before that.

In interviews for the "Dr. Phil" show and ABC's "Good Morning America," the couple can be seen holding hands and exchanging smiles.

Powers' mother, Tammie, confronted the couple on "Dr. Phil" and accused Hooker of brainwashing her daughter.

The couple maintains that, while they met when Jordan was 14, their relationship did not become physical until she was of age, making it permissible under current laws. California's age of consent is 18.

In response to the couple's relationship, a state lawmaker from Modesto last week proposed legislation that would ban student-teacher relationships regardless of age, even if the student is 18, and strip school employees of their pensions and retiree health care if they are convicted.

Republican Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen said her bill would prevent teachers from grooming students for relationships once they became adults. The bill would also forbid suggestive communication such as sexual text messages.

It appears there is a another student relationship in his past .

[Ninja0980]

Not a surprise at all. He made the moves on his current girlfriend before she turned 18..no way was she the only girl out there that he's done that to.

[TheMorningStar]

Jordan Powers, 18, said Saturday on "Good Morning America" that she broke up with James Hooker, 41, after he was arrested this week for sexually assaulting another teen girl 14 years ago.

"He called me from jail, and yes, I told him we're done," she said. "I lost everything for this guy. I lost my senior year. I gave up all my friends at high school because they didn't agree with me."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1057855

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Teen's mom says ex-teacher is trying to win the girl back

Today's pretrial hearing for former high school teacher James Hooker is expected to be short and procedural, the prosecutor said, but a crowded courtroom is expected anyway.
[...]

Hooker posted a $50,000 bond early Saturday and spent his weekend dodging camera crews and, according to Powers' mother, trying to win Jordan back.

Tammie Powers posted on her Facebook page that Hooker "has been relentless in contacting and talking to Jordan, as well as inflicting stress on all of my children." The post ends with a direct plea to Hooker: "James, you have primarily dealt with the very, very, sick version of Jordan's mother -- I am getting stronger daily -- do you hear me? Leave this kid and this family alone!"

Repeated attempts by The Bee to reach Hooker by phone and at his apartment were not successful. His only response was a text sent Saturday: "We have no comment."

Tammie Powers said Monday that Hooker called her daughter, asking her to post his bail Friday, even as she was packing to leave the apartment they shared for less than two months.

She whisked her daughter off to an undisclosed location that day, far from the TV news teams and far away from him.

"It isn't optimal, but it's what we had to do," Tammie Powers said Monday.

Jordan Powers told ABC News on Saturday that Hooker lied to her and she "lost everything for this guy." But Tammie Powers said she knows Hooker has called her daughter many times since then and worries that Jordan's resolve could fade.

"He's just relentless," she said.

Tammie Powers said when she had surgery last month, Hooker came with her daughter to the hospital and sat outside her room, refusing to leave, and has been seen driving in her neighborhood since his release.

She said she hasn't recovered enough to fly yet but talks with Jordan daily. Even through the very public battles of recent weeks, the two remained in contact, Tammie Powers said. "She disagreed with me about James, but we were still talking," she said.

Hooker is scheduled to appear today at 8:30 before Superior Court Judge Thomas Zeff for a bail-review and pretrial hearing. He faces one charge of oral copulation with a minor in 1998, while a teacher at Davis High. Police have said the girl was not a Davis student.
[...]

State legislation now allows prosecutors to file charges against a defendant accused of committing a sex crime against a minor, even 14 years later. The filing must be within a year of the crime being first reported and there must be independent evidence to corroborate the victim's allegation.

Police say the alleged victim came forward after Hooker's relationship with Jordan Powers gained national attention.

Today's hearing will be combined with a matter in his divorce proceedings, which had been scheduled for today in Family Court, according to court records.
[...]

Tammie Powers vigorously and publicly opposed her daughter's affair, berating Hooker on Facebook to spread word of what she saw as his abuse of power as a teacher. The couple countered with appearances on "Good Morning America" and "Dr. Phil."

Power's mother appeared opposite her daughter and Hooker on "Dr. Phil." She continues to lobby for a bill introduced by Modesto Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen that would make it a crime for high school teachers to date students of any age.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-cou...cher-is-trying

[BootyJ666]

Teen's mom says ex-teacher is trying to win the girl backhttp://www.mercurynews.com/crime-cou...cher-is-trying

Wow, she actually lasted 2 months with him? I was giving her 2 weeks tops.

[Obsolete]

I don't mean to sound like a bitch here but where was mom when she was texting this man 4 hours a night or e-mailing and talking on the phone with him??? I mean is it only a problem for the mom now that her princess left school and moved out of the house. 8000 text messages from the same number and she is not at all curious prior to that what is going on? I would be like who the Hell are you texting this much? Are you trying to tell me her mom who probably paid the bill didn't notice this was going on before September? I mean if it had been going on for years why did it take her mother so long to do something about it? You can't control your 18 year old but you sure in the Hell can stop your minor child from taking part in this relationship.

I do agree the teacher should know better then to take up with a student period.....so yes I do think he was wrong for even remotely allowing anything to happen before she was out of the school (after she graduated) I just wonder why this mother did nothing when her child was a minor.

Give me a break. The girl was 17/18, why would her mom be concerned with who she is texting? Isn't it normal for teens to text 24 hrs a day. Text messages don't show up on a phone bill so how would mom know who she was texting?

[Rydo Larsson]

the bit that caught my eye the most reading the story was her older sister what the fuck was the nosey bitch doing looking through her txt messages.

[Morbid]

Modesto, California – A California teacher who made national headlines for leaving his wife and three children for a teen student, has been accused of sexually abusing a different teenage girl that he taught in 1998. Jordan Powers, 18, quit school to move in with her teacher James Hooker, 41, has now dumped him following his arrest for alleged sexual misconduct with another student in 1998. Jordan, who last February defended their odd pairing on national news, now fears there may be more students “My heart dropped. I felt betrayed. I just have a gut feeling there are other girls,” Powers said, according to the ABC News interview. She went on to say, “He called me from jail and, yes, I told him that we’re done. I lost everything for this guy. I lost my senior year. I gave up all my friends at high school because they didn’t agree with me.” Jordan’s mother, Tammie Powers, is pushing for a bill in California that would make it a felony for a public school teacher to date a student in the same school, regardless of age, even if the student is 18. Currently, 23 states now have a law forbidding teachers to date students regardless of age. The bill will also include making it illegal to send any sexual based texts, letters or any other form of communication. Jordan and Hooker have maintained that their love wasn’t consummated until after Jordan turned 18, however her mother has uncovered over 8,000 texts between the two spanning back to when Jordan was a minor. There were also many late night phone calls and emails between the two. Tammie had an opportunity to confront Hooker on Dr, Phil last month and accused him of “brainwashing” her child. This sentiment I’ve seen echoed over many websites and blogs while researching this article. Many have called him a predator and accused him of grooming his students. Hooker now has a $50,0000 bail, a public defender and a hearing on Tuesday in hopes of reducing his bail amount. With all the publicity and the creepy old man factor involved, I doubt that he will get it. Let’s recap. Since the second month of this year, Hooker has lost his wife and children, his job, has been arrested for fiddling a teen fourteen years ago and lost his teen live-in girlfriend along with the remains of any dignityKeep Reading...
This article is from The Dreamin' Demon, the Internet's self-appointed buzzkill.


More...

[VAS1326]

Give me a break. The girl was 17/18, why would her mom be concerned with who she is texting? Isn't it normal for teens to text 24 hrs a day. Text messages don't show up on a phone bill so how would mom know who she was texting?

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to this...had surgery it sucked and was away a while.

Anyways; ummm 8000 texts is obsessive. My daughter texts roughly 1200 a month (she is a teenage girl who is always texting) And yes I look at the numbers she text. If that number were to go up drastically I would be curious as to why. Sure I can't read what the text says but I know which numbers she is texting at 2 in the morning. It's called being villigilant. If anything looks off I immediately take the phone and go through it. I pay the bill and she is a minor so there is no privacy. I caught my kid talking to a much older man in a state just south of us by doing so. There was a police investigation and everything to go with it. The dectectives who came out said that most parents are not that deligent and usually only catch such things after something really bad has happened. So maybe I'm a paranoid overly intrusive mother but I don't care. At least my daughter is not on DD after some perv from Indiana took off with her.

[Obsolete]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to this...had surgery it sucked and was away a while.

Anyways; ummm 8000 texts is obsessive. My daughter texts roughly 1200 a month (she is a teenage girl who is always texting) And yes I look at the numbers she text. If that number were to go up drastically I would be curious as to why. Sure I can't read what the text says but I know which numbers she is texting at 2 in the morning. It's called being villigilant. If anything looks off I immediately take the phone and go through it. I pay the bill and she is a minor so there is no privacy. I caught my kid talking to a much older man in a state just south of us by doing so. There was a police investigation and everything to go with it. The dectectives who came out said that most parents are not that deligent and usually only catch such things after something really bad has happened. So maybe I'm a paranoid overly intrusive mother but I don't care. At least my daughter is not on DD after some perv from Indiana took off with her.

Sorry to hear about your SX, I hope all is well now.

I agree about being dilligent with your kids when they're young, but at 17/18 if you can't trust your child to make good decisions then you've done something wrong (not you specifically, I mean in general). At that age a person is getting ready to move out of the house and live on their own. They should already have the tools necessary to do so, they shouldn't still need to have their hand held, their bottoms wiped, or their cell phone monitored.

[VAS1326]

Sorry to hear about your SX, I hope all is well now.

I agree about being dilligent with your kids when they're young, but at 17/18 if you can't trust your child to make good decisions then you've done something wrong (not you specifically, I mean in general). At that age a person is getting ready to move out of the house and live on their own. They should already have the tools necessary to do so, they shouldn't still need to have their hand help, their bottoms wiped, or their cell phone monitored.

I am doing well thank you.

I guess I agree since my daughter is still only 15 I'm like ninja mom. I hope by the time she is 18 I can trust her to make better decisions. I'm just saying even so if I'm paying a bill I tend to notice the usuage section (wihtout looking at individual numbers) and if something changed I would notice. Not to say though everyone looks real close at their bills especially with things like cell phones that have unlimited plans and the price doesn't change month to month. I guess I just can't see how the mom was blind to her daughter's actions until after the girl moved out. The girl must have been really good at hiding it which I know some kids are very good at deceiving a parent. It just seems like with so much contact while the girl was living at home underage there should have been some clue by the mother something was up. I've never been in those shoes so I guess maybe I just can't grasp what I haven't been through.

[Nell]

Kiki and Rob started dating when she was a senior in high school. He is 8 years older than her. They texted all night long for months and months, her parents never noticed. She stayed at our house! I to this day think they purposely looked the other way because he was good to her, age difference or not. How could you not know?

That said, she was almost 18 and really close to being out of the house. Had a job and her own car, got good grades, didn't bother anyone at home with shenanigans. Why would her parents be all up in her shit?

[Kindly One]

She is pretty, young;
He is ugly, bald, no job.
She has left him now.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Former Modesto high school teacher James Hooker is back together with his former student, the 18-year-old teen told CBS13 on Tuesday.

The two reportedly broke up after Hooker was arrested on charges of sexual assault against another student back in 1998, but when CBS13 went to Hooker’s apartment on Tuesday, Jordan Powers, his former student at Enochs High School, answered the door.

“We just talked to your mom. She was afraid you were back with James. Are you two back together?” Checkey Beckford asked Jordan.

“Yeah,” she replied.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to do any news though. I’m just not interested in talking at all,” she said.

Tammie Powers, who received more bad news on Tuesday when a bill that would have made it a crime for teachers to engage in sexual relationships with their students, regardless of if the student is 18, was defeated in committee at the state Capitol.
[...]

Tammie Powers is disgusted that Jordan is back with Hooker even after the former business teacher was recently charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old student after they allegedly met at a Future Business Leaders of America conference and struck up a relationship back in 1998.

The now 31-year-old woman said she went to police after seeing TV reports of Hooker’s relationship with Powers, which has made national news. He’s been charged with one count of oral copulation.

Neighbors say Powers moved back in a few days ago.

Beckford asked if if Hooker was willing to talk. “No, he’s not available,” Jordan said. “I’ll give you a call if I’m interested in talking later on.”
[...]

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/...eacher-hooker/

[TheMorningStar]

There is no cure for stupid.

[Obsolete]

There is no cure for stupid.

There is no cure for love.