HPD arrests Milby High teacher on sex charge

Houston Chronicle
May. 06, 2006

Houston Police Juvenile Sex Crimes Unit investigators have arrested a Milby High School substitute teacher for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old student.

Henry Olden Jackson Jr., 27, was charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child. He is being held in a Harris County jail with bond set at $25,000 per count. Jackson denied the allegations against him when he was arrested Thursday at his home in the 5100 block of Stuyvesant, police said.

The allegations surfaced last week when students told administrators that Jackson had cursed at them for being late, said Houston Officer Jeanette Perales. The students also reported other inappropriate comments made by Jackson and the sexual relationship with the student, Perales added.

The 15-year-old student, who was not identified by police, told authorities she and Jackson had been having a sexual relationship since the start of the school year in August through April.

The victim also told police that the sexual encounters occurred in Jackson's locked classroom before the start of the school day, Perales said.

Jackson had worked at Milby as a substitute teacher for a year, primarily in the school's in-house suspension program supervising students, Principal Richard Barajas explained in a letter to parents. Jackson was immediately fired and authorities alerted after administrators spoke to the students and the victim.

"This type of adult behavior is deplorable and unacceptable,'' Barajas' letters states. "Our learning community is saddened that one of our own children reportedly has fallen victim to this type of predatory behavior.''

Jackson also worked at Chavez High School, an HISD spokesman said.

Officer George Garcia urged other possible victims to come forward. He said Jackson's "aggressiveness'' and information from the students lead police to suspect that Jackson may have had other sexual relationships.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the juvenile division of HPD's sex crimes unit at 713-731-5335 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.