Lee County honors Teacher of the Year

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A Lee County teacher who says he saved his former student when her abusive ex-boyfriend came after her, is now officially recognized as the district’s Teacher of the Year and will head to the statewide competition.

James Mark Jones tells WINK News he is honored and humbled to be Teacher of the Year, and says support from his students is just as important as from his peers. He says, “they don’t always like me cause I’m not always nice to them but my job isn’t to be their friend, it’s to show them how to grow up and be adults I’m glad they support me.”

He has a simple but powerful message for his students. “Rule number one you don’t hit girls, rule number two when you’re wrong admit it, rule number 3 don’t lie and above all protect those who are smaller and weaker then you.”

Jones admits he was devastated when the school board decided not to recommend him for the statewide title of Teacher of the Year after finding out he was arrested in 2013. But the arrest was a misunderstanding and was expunged from his record. So after a closed-door meeting, the board reconsidered and has now submitted his name for the state competition.

Jones teaches at South Fort Myers High School. He says, “I’m ecstatic, more then anything I’ve always said that if I’m the smartest guy in the room, then I’m in the wrong room. I’m not just a teacher, I’m a student. I like to learn and improve myself every day.”

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