Probable cause statement: Teacher, student had sex on living room floor

After-school sexual encounters on the living room floor of her student's home are among the crimes detailed in the probable cause statement that led Jasper County Prosecutors to file felony rape, sodomy, and pornography charges against Joplin High School communication arts teacher Jessica Low.

Low, 32, was arrested shortly after the school day ended May 29 at the 9-10 Center (the former Memorial Middle School), where she has taught the last two years.

The probable cause statement is printed below:

I, Det. Chip Root, knowing that false statements on this form are punishable by law, state that the facts contained herein are true:

I have probable cause to believe that on May 25, 2014, at (address omitted), Jessica Lynn Low, a white female, committed one or more criminal offenses of statutory rape in the second degree, statutory sodomy in the second degree, furnishing pornographic material to a minor.

On May 28, 2014, it was reported by the Joplin School District that they had received an anonymous complaint that Jessica Low, a Joplin High School teacher, had sent nude images of herself to a Joplin 10th grade student, identified as 16-year-old "IF (date of birth omitted) via cellular telephone.

School district staff reported the incident to the Joplin Police Department. The affiant contacted IF's father regarding the complaint. The father admitted that he had witnessed the nude images of Jessica Low on his son's cell phone on May 25, 2014.

The father further stated that he had spoken to his son and his son's 16-year-old male friend about Low sending the nude pictures of herself. The 16-year-old friend is identified as "MS" (date of birth omitted) . MS volunteered that he had also observed the nude images of Low and had also had sexual intercourse with Low.

IF also admitted that he had witnessed the nude images of Low and also had sexual intercourse with Low. IF's father admitted that he had witnessed the nude images of Jessica Low on his son's cell phone while at their Joplin residence.

He advised he and his wife confronted Low by telephone and she subsequently admitted to sending the nude images to their son. The father further stated he recorded the images sent by Low using his cell phone, which was later examined with his permission. Several nude images of a white female were observed including photos of the subject's breasts and close-up photos of her vagina and some images depict the use of a sexual device.

On May 29, 2014, the affiant witnessed a child forensic interview at the Joplin Children's Center of IF. During the interview, IF declared that he had received 25 to 40 nude images of Jessica Low via cell phone text messages and admitted they had discussed meeting for sex. He stated the images depicted her breasts, as well as her vagina and said she was masturbating during the images. The child advised Low had sent him the images on Wednesday of last week, May 28, 2014.

On May 29, 2014, the affiant witnessed a child forensic interview of MS at the Joplin Children's Center. During the child's interview, MS disclosed on Monday, May 19, 2014, Low followed MS home from school and the two had vaginal intercourse on the living room floor of his residence. He said on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, Low again followed him home from school and she performed oral sex on him and they also had sexual intercourse a second time.
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Springfield coach bound over on charge of raping, murdering 10-year-old girl

This report from KOLR's Lindsey Clein includes video, but no audio from former Pleasant Hill Middle School Coach Craig Michael Wood's since the judge would not allow it. Ms. Clein does an excellent job of describing the emotional and graphic testimony from the hearing. Wood is charged with first degree murder, kidnapping, armed criminal action, rape, and sodomy in connection with the February 18 death of 10-year-old Hailey Owens of Springfield. Wood will be arraigned 8:30 a.m. June 20, in Greene County Circuit Court.

Craig Michael Wood's first hearing postponed indefinitely, change of judge granted

The first hearing for Springfield Pleasant View Coach Craig Michael Wood in the Hailey Owens murder case has been postponed indefinitely after Wood's public defender asked for and was granted a change of judge.

The hearing for Wood, who is charged with first degree murder, kidnapping, and armed criminal action in connection with the February 18 death of 10-year-old Hailey Woods, had already been pushed back from March 19 to April 7 before the change of judge was granted.

Wood's hearing will now be held before Judge Jason Brown, according to court records.

The records indicate that public defender Christopher Shane Hatley is still defending Wood, a point of contention with the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney's office, which noted that Wood has a $1 million trust fund.

2013 in Review: The text of the decision that ended my teaching career

(From June 2013)
(This is the decision that was handed down against me by the Joplin R-8 Board of Education. The transfer of the document from PDF to Microsoft Word created some mistakes and I tried to correct as many of them as I could, but I am sure there are still a few.)


BEFORE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF JOPLIN SCHOOLS, JOPLIN, MISSOURI


 JOPLIN SCHOOLS,

v.

WILLIAM TURNER,

Petitioner, )

Respondent. )



FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, AND DECISION

On May 23, 2013, the Joplin Schools Board of Education ("Board") convened a hearing, pursuant to Sections 168.1 16 and 168.118 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, on charges brought against Mr. William "Randy" Tuntcr, a tenured teacher, by Superintendent Dr. C.J. Huff. Mr. Turner was present at the hearing and was represented by legal counsel Ms. Nancy Watkins, at all times. During the hearing, the administration was represented by legal counsel , Ms. Shellie Guin. A court reporter was present and recorded the testimony of the witnesses. After carefully considering the evidence presented, the Board of Education makes the following findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision. To the extent the following findings.

Fact are actually conclusions of law, the Board incorporates such findings in its Conclusions of Law. To the extent the following Conclusions of Law are actually findings of fact, the Board incorporates such conclusions into its Findings of Fact.

EVIDENTIARY RULINGS

1. In a teacher termination proceeding, the determination of the credibility of witnesses is a function of the Board of Education. Ross v. Nohb, 662 S.W.2d 257 (Mo. 1983).

2. To the extent the testimony of witnesses of the administration conflicted with the testimony of Mr. Turner and his witnesses, the Board of Education finds the testimony of the witnesses of the administration to be more credible.

2013 in Review: The Books that Got Me Fired

(This post from April 2013 includes the audio of Joplin R-8 Human Resources Director Tina Smith's "interrogation" of me. Once the audio was released, my recording of the conversation for my own protection was added to the list of charges against me.)

(The following is my latest Huffington Post blog.)

Two weeks ago today, I walked out of my classroom for perhaps the last time.

It wasn’t anything I planned. Even when I wrote for Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago recommending that young people not become teachers, I never stopped loving my job. I never lost my enthusiasm for teaching eighth graders the finer points of writing.

My students are still in my classroom every day and will be until May 21.  I miss them greatly and hope, perhaps against all hope, that I will get a chance to be with them at least one more time before the school year ends.

That usually doesn’t happen, however, for teachers who have to be escorted from the school building by a police officer in full view of students who were boarding school buses to leave for the day.