Scientologists in Texas neighborhood battle turn out to include Lori Hodgson’s daughter

One of the consequences of Scientology’s toxic “disconnection” policy is that the people who are affected can go years between any news at all about the loved ones who have cut them out of their lives.

One example we’ve followed pretty closely for the last eight years has been the heartbreaking story of Lori Hodgson, the California mother who was punished for visiting an “enemy” of the church by having her two grown children, Jeremy and Jessica Leake, break off all contact from her.

If you read this site you know how much Lori has tried to get any information at all about Jeremy and Jessica, who both live in Texas and have made it very hard for Lori to learn much about their lives.

So imagine how stunned Lori was when we called her up this week and told her that we had learned quite a lot about what Jessica has been doing, because it’s all spelled out in court records.

Lori had been able to find out that Jessica had married another Scientologist, Jonathan Davitt, whose parents are in the Sea Org. She also was aware that Jonathan and Jessica had bought a house in Austin and were planning to open a preschool on their property.

But she didn’t know that the preschool had become a battle royale in the neighborhood that had spilled into the courts.

Here’s what we know. According to court papers, the Davitts bought a house in the Bear Creek Park development in October, and then told neighbors they intended to build a separate schoolhouse on their property and open it as a daycare center.

And when we say schoolhouse, we mean schoolhouse…

 
According to the court papers, concerned neighbors told the Davitts that it would be a problem to open a separate schoolhouse and urged them to contact the Bear Creek Park Homeowners Association, a voluntary organization. But the Davitts went ahead with construction, even after the association sent a cease-and-desist letter in May.

Then, the Davitts started suing. On June 21, they filed a lawsuit against the association and its president, Elaine MacLaughlin, saying that they didn’t care about the association’s rules because they weren’t members of it. And they also pointed out that other homeowners in the development had home businesses.

“Since 1971, numerous owners have run businesses from Bear Creek Park lots. At least 12 are currently operating. Some are no longer operating but operated for years on end and in the past. Some were child daycare facilities,” the lawsuit states. “In addition, numerous owners have built secondary homes or significant buildings on their properties.”

When we asked one of the local residents about that, they said that it’s true some people worked from home, but that wasn’t the same thing as building a schoolhouse and having parents drop their kids off, with the traffic that brings. And anyway, the rules against what the Davitts did are spelled out pretty clearly in covenants that came with the home’s title.

Ah, well, you know. Neighborhood disputes. They’re like nuclear war for the people involved, but not so much for those even the next development over.

But for us it was interesting to get a glimpse inside this dispute because, like Lori, we wondered what was happening with her kids, who had been instructed to cut off all ties from her.

We sent the Davitts’ attorney a message with a couple of questions we did have, though.

1. Is this preschool limited to Scientology families and their children?

2. And, will Jessica be teaching her students about Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ policy that caused her to disown her own mother for leaving the church?

We’ll let you know if we hear anything back.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology TV is the best thing to happen to television — says Scientology
[TWO years ago] Clearwater Baptist pastor reflects on his message about Scientology, stands by it
[THREE years ago] Scientology opened a new ‘Ideal Org’ in Harlem, and we weren’t made to feel very welcome
[FOUR years ago] When Jesse Prince sec-checked David Miscavige: A Scientology interrogation for the ages
[FIVE years ago] Kirstie Alley ‘disconnects’ from not one but two men over their friendship with Leah Remini
[SIX years ago] Leah Remini Retaliation? Suddenly, Scientology “Fair Gaming” Of Critics Is Way Up
[SEVEN years ago] Watch Mimi Faust Talk about Losing Her Mother to Scientology
[EIGHT years ago] Benjamin Ring, LA Sheriff’s Deputy, Under Inquiry for Endorsing Expensive Scientology Services

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 1, 2019 at 07:00

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