Subordination:Chronicles of a Domme(40)

To say that the room was packed would be an understatement. While I should have had a good inclination of the crowd from the packed parking lot, I couldn’t quite have imagined it would be standing room only. In a small town like mine, a sex scandal was considered prime entertainment.

All the noisy chatter ceased when we walked up the aisle. My skin crawled under the scrutiny of all the eyes raking over me. Owen led me to a table at foot of the small stage. Next to us was another table where William and his lawyer sat. When I briefly met his eye, he gave me a tight smile. I didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, I slid into the chair that Owen pulled out for me.

After a few agonizing minutes of feeling the stares boring into my back, Dr. Levinson banged his gavel, silencing the crowd. After clearing his throat, he said, “We’re here tonight to meet on whether to terminate staff members, William Foster, and Sophie Jameson based on violation of Standard Ten of the Georgia Professional Standards. Based on her lack of tenure, we’ll begin with Ms. Jameson.” He looked over his glasses at us. “Would the counsel for Ms. Jameson like to address us?”

“Yes, sir.” Owen rose out of his chair and walked to the podium. “First off tonight, I want to say how very unfortunate it is that it has come to a meeting such as this. Whatever disciplinary action that needed to be taken should have been done behind closed door. Tonight is highly detrimental to the emotional wellbeing of my client, and I’m sure Dr. Foster—”

“Excuse me, Mr. Sandborne, I realize you’re from Atlanta and find our ways archaic and outdated. However, our meeting tonight is within the law. Your speech has no bearing on your client’s case, so I would suggest you stick to the point.”

Owen’s jaw clenched. “Yes sir. I’m sure that like myself you and the board have read in detail the Code of Conduct for educators. I’m sure that you have debated the parameters of Standard Ten, which I would like to read aloud at this time.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

After clearing his throat, Owen began to read aloud. “An educator shall demonstrate conduct that follows generally recognized professional standards and preserves the dignity and integrity of the education profession. Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to any conduct that impairs or diminishes the certificate holder’s ability to function in his or her employment position.”

Instead of looking at the board members, he turned around and stared out at the crowd. “That, ladies and gentlemen, is word for word—nothing added or taken away. That is what Ms. Jameson was aware of when she signed her contract with this district.”

He then turned back to the school board. “Tonight it may seem like we are here to judge Ms. Jameson’s educational abilities, but instead, it is to question her morality. We’re here to do that because of something that happened far outside of the classroom. Had it not been for the vindictive actions of a former girlfriend of Dr. Foster’s, no one here would have ever known. There would have not been a need to question Ms. Jameson’s character because it was known to be exemplary in this town. Let’s not forget she graduated from this high school with honors. I’m pretty sure if you pulled her permanent record, it would be blemish free as she was not a troublemaker. While she attended school here, she belonged to several civic organizations where she volunteered her time. Before this unfortunate incident, you would’ve been hard pressed to find anyone to speak ill of her conduct or character.”

Owen paused for what could only be dramatic effect. “Yes, it is true that Ms. Jameson worked as a professional dominatrix for five years. While it has no real bearing on the case, it is worth noting that she did this as a job, not as a sexual preference. She took this job not only to put herself through college, but to support her brother and disabled father. Considering she was not a Domme in real life, I’m sure there were aspects of the job she found distasteful. But she soldiered on for the love of her family. That’s pretty damn admirable when you think about it.”

Several of the board members looked curiously at me as they processed what Owen had said. I guess they themselves were wondering what they would be willing to do to help a loved one.

“I’m sure some people might argue that Ms. Jameson’s motives were dishonest because on her job application she did not list the club as one of her places of previous employment. I would argue that the vast majority of applicants are not one hundred percent forthright about their employment history for many reasons. Perhaps they were fired or let go, or the job had no bearing on their abilities in the classroom. That small fact does not make Ms. Jameson a liar.”

“Let’s get to the heart of what is at stake here: Ms. Jameson’s job as an educator. In the four months she has been teaching, Ms. Jameson has received two administrative observations—” Owen paused to look up at the board members. “I would like to note for the record that neither of these observations were done by Dr. Foster should anyone like to snidely comment that there was personal bias based on their relationship.”

“So noted,” Dr. Levinson replied.

“She received all satisfactory marks. There were no areas that needed improvement, nor was there any commentary about questionable morals involving Ms. Jameson or the way she interacted with her students. This is quite exemplary considering most first year teachers have areas that need improvement on their observations.”

Owen waved the copies of my observations in the air. “In my hands there is written proof that Ms. Jameson’s past as a Domme certainly did not impede her ability to be a good teacher in the classroom.” He tossed the observations onto the stage at Dr. Levinson’s feet.

After coming back over to the table, Owen dug out a large pile of papers from his open briefcase. “I have in my hands letters of recommendation from Ms. Jameson’s students. They all speak of how much they learned this year with her as their teacher, as well as what a kind-hearted, caring person she is. They request that you all vote in favor of keeping her on at Milton High.”

I gasped as tears stung my eyes. Owen hadn’t told me anything about the letters. I don’t know how he had possibly worked so fast to get them. The thought of the students I’d had for only four months writing me recommendation letters caused tears to stream down my cheeks.

“Finally, I will speak to the issue that I’m sure has tongues wagging in town. The fact that Dr. Foster and Ms. Jameson were involved sexually. I would like to state for the record, they were involved more than just sexually—they were involved in a romantic and committed relationship. This was not some instance of a hook-up or my client using her ‘feminine wiles’ with her principal to try and somehow elevate her status within the school.”

Turning away from the school board, Owen once again surveyed the crowd. “When Ms. Jameson was hired here at Milton, it was by Dr. Newsome—your now disgraced principal. Dr. Foster was hired and began work here less than a week before preplanning began. At the time, my client was living in an Atlanta suburb. She had not been home to hear any of the gossip surrounding Dr. Newsome’s dismissal and Dr. Foster’s hiring.

Yes, it’s true the two met at the club in question. I’m sure Dr. Foster’s attorney will deal with how his client’s proclivities in his personal life have little to do with his professional abilities. After meeting up on a jogging trail at Kennesaw Mountain Park, the two had lunch and spent the weekend getting to know each other. It was not until Ms. Jameson showed up for work that she learned of Dr. Newsome’s departure—” He paused, and when I turned my head, I saw that his gaze was focused on someone. “Ms. Jameson’s Department Head could testify that Ms. Jameson had no idea that Dr. Foster was the new administrator.”

When I looked at Jane, she nodded at Owen before giving me a small smile.

Owen turned back to the board members. “My point in talking about this is to show that the two of them were in the early stages of dating when the rug was jerked out from under them by discovering that Dr. Foster was now Ms. Jameson’s boss. After this, the two tried to remain professional and distant, but it became too hard because of the feelings they had for each other. Their relationship started up again. And it was a complete lack of good judgment on their part to attend the Halloween party at the club.”

With a devious smile, Owen once again turned back to the crowd. “Of course, I’m sure that everyone here can cast a stone because they are without sin, right? None of you have gone to a party or professional sporting event and thrown back a few too many, right? None of you have ever done something in private that if brought to the light might result in losing your job, your spouse, or your standing in the community, right?” His gaze trailed over the crowd before he turned around to do the same to the board.

“I think it’s safe to say that both Ms. Jameson and Dr. Foster have paid enough already for their indiscretion. Taking away their jobs would be like throwing a rock in a pond and letting it ripple. Give them the chance to continue being the fine, upstanding educators they always have been.”