LAKE MARY, Fla. (AP) — A father tearfully apologized Tuesday for acting like a bully himself when he stormed onto a school bus to confront students he believed were harassing his 13-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy.
AP
James Willie Jones is seen angrily gesturing and yelling at students and the bus driver on video taken by an onboard camera. Footage of the tirade has drawn thousands of views on YouTube, sparked numerous comments on social media sites — many of them supportive — and become a topic on national talk shows.
A day after saying he was sorry in a written statement, Jones held an emotional news conference in which his voice cracked as he said no parent should copy his behavior.
“At that time, I was a bully. And I apologize again for that,” said Jones. “If you see the tape, I feel like I was backed up against the wall as a parent. I just didn’t know where else to go. We definitely don’t want to promote that.
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“We don’t want vigilantes going on buses, threatening kids, because kids have rights too.”
Jones was charged last week with disorderly conduct and disturbing a school function for the Sept. 3 tirade in Sanford, just north of Orlando. He later posted $2,000 bail and was ordered to stay away from the driver and county school buses.
His attorney, Deianna Brown, said she is hoping to get the charges dropped or reduced, and she’s offered to have her client give speeches against bullying as community service.
Jones, 42, had also apologized for his behavior in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, saying his daughter suffers from cerebral palsy and he “could not stand by and helplessly watch her suffer.” He said Tuesday she will not return to the middle school.
Jones’ wife, Deborah McFadden-Jones, said they noticed a change in their daughter’s behavior since school began this year. She left messages with a school guidance counselor, she said, but never heard back.
McFadden-Jones said at the news conference that their daughter‘s condition isn’t noticeable, and she was bullied for standing up for another girl.
“She’s a beautiful young lady who would give her last if she has it,” McFadden-Jones said, crying. “And she would step in for others who have been bullied or been pushed around, and that’s where it started. She was helping someone else, and it turned on her and there was no one there to help her out.”
Jones told deputies that boys placed an open condom on his daughter’s head, smacked her on the back of her head, twisted her ear and shouted rude comments at her, according to the sheriff’s office report.
Jones said Tuesday that the condom actually was intended for another young girl, but that some fragments hit his daughter and that her head was wet. Still, he said she has been teased, spit on, pulled, poked and pushed — and that she had an emotional breakdown after describing the harassment.
School spokeswoman Regina Murray Klaers said in an e-mail last week that Jones did not express concerns to school administrators about his daughter but did report an incident involving another girl. That incident was investigated and appropriate action was taken, Klaers said.
Jones said he has received e-mails, phone calls and other messages of support from people around the country.
On Tuesday, some parents in the area said they understood his desire to protect his daughter, but disagreed with how he acted on his emotions.
“I can sympathize a little, but the fact is he broke the law,” said 47-year-old David Kristoff, a father who lives in Orlando. “And he probably horrified other kids in the process.”
Christine Powell, a 38-year-old mother from Orlando, was more sympathetic.
“I don’t think anybody would disagree with what he was trying to do,” she said. “He just went about it awfully.”
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Comments (116)
wilbur111
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:57amBullying won‘t stop until parents are held responsible for their children’s behavior.
Report Post »KDuffy
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:55amI support the father. If only more people would defend the victims rather than worrying about hurting the feelings of the bullies. I hope they WERE terrified, so terrified that they’ll never disrespect another human being that way.
Report Post »smalldog
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:53am“Jones said Tuesday that the condom actually was intended for another young girl, but that some fragments hit his daughter and that her head was wet. Still, he said she has been teased, spit on, pulled, poked and pushed — and that she had an emotional breakdown after describing the harassment.”
What goes on during the ride to school?
‘ “And he probably horrified other kids in the process.” ‘
What about the behavior of some of the students?
Why doesn’t the school district have behavior attendants on that bus? The driver has to drive, who’s minding those children with the wet condom?
What’s wrong with this picture?
Report Post »printdesignchicago.com
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:48amANYONE messes with my kids – bullies at school, etc – are in deep water for sure. granted, kids will be kids and call each other names – that’s part of growing up and developing social skills.
it’s the violence that would make me go ballistic. like an ICBM. i‘ve already had to go to my youngest daughter’s school for a couple unrelated incidents and the school knows i would be there in a hummingbird’s hearbeat – it’s only 1/2 mile away from my studio
i’m proud of this dad for standing up and protecting his kid!
Report Post »hiramsmaxim
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:36amSad situation, anyone was capable of doing the same as this father. There is nothing worse than kid ridiculing another less fortunate.
Report Post »Conservative Grinch
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:08amWhat good father would not have acted to defend his daughter against bullies. If this goes to court I encourage any potential juror to find this poor man NOT GUILTY!
You don’t even have to feel obligated inform the court of your bias in the matter. Numerous case law and recent court decisions have upheld a citizen’s right to lie. The most famous is the Clinton precedence where it was determined by the US Senate that perjuring oneself over matters of sex was OK. The next famous decision involves the fabrication of your military record and wearing metals of honor you did not earn.
Report Post »JesusFreak95
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:45amMan, I’ve been there. Most kids today have no respect for authority. I was bullied as a kid, and let me tell you, it is not a way to live your school years. All he did was give those kids a verbal tongue lashing. Maybe a bit over the top, but the man loves his daughter, I don’t blame him for losing it on those thugs. Like everything else today, the good guys get made out the bad guys, and the thugs become the victims.
I hope what he did puts a real spotlight on the issue in this school and makes ALL the kids take pause before the abuse another. If this father is the only one that “pays” for his over-reaction, this will be a real travesty.
Report Post »ireality
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:43amWhy don‘t we hear from the bully’s parents, let them explain the actions of their bully kids. Nope. Never will – it’s the bus drivers fault, it’s James Willie Jones fault, it’s the other girl we are trying to hit with a condom. Nov is getting close thank god!
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:08amHe didn’t hurt anyone, end of story.
Report Post »Dan in P.A.
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 5:55amWhy teachers and guidance counselors cant hear and the bus drivers are blind to this makes it a crime when they even have cameras to prove the act of children out of control . The frustration of a father protecting his daughter again has been made out as a hateful an mad person . Nothing was said about how far out of control our children are or that no ones rights should be aloud to supersede another ones rights . We have created a monster an it does not matter what color you are they are right an you are wrong to the associated press who puppet and speak what the socialist agenda wants .How many children have to go threw this before we wake up and limit there rights to the standards we live by to bring control back . There,s to many Brian Williams reporting one sided stories and are blind to the wild gang bulling the week children.Has it changed any since we went to school ?
Report Post »a guy in texas
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 5:21amAnyone have an address for his defense fund handy?
Report Post »nhall729
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:42pmNo Kidding! I’d be up to helping!
Report Post »Michael Schmidtman
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:55amIf I’m reading this right, his daughter was the victim of battery. Who was protecting her?
This man has nothing to apologize for. If I saw “boys placed an open condom on his daughter’s head, smacked her on the back of her head, twisted her ear and shouted rude comments at her” directed at MY daughter, they might have had trouble IDing the bodies. This kind of behavior should NEVER be tolerated, and I’m not talking about the father. Somebody should be talking to the parents of those punks.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:17amIf I were that father, it would be my fondest wish that the parents of those kids would confront me personally. I can’t say any more.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:27amIf I saw boys place a condom on ANY child’s head, there would be holy particular hell to pay. It wouldn’t matter whether or not I had any relationship to that child. Of course, you and I are not restricted by rules which govern teachers, drivers, etc. so we’re n the clear. I can’t believe that teachers or administrators would be constrained to tolerate the bullying of a wheelchair-bound child by under anyone’s interpretation of rules or laws. Where were the other adults in these children’s lives while all this was happening? I have a serious problem with the fact that people knew a child in a wheelchair, unable to fight back was allowed to be tormented. That says more about our society than the election of this president ever will.
Report Post »Aither
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:48amSad thing is School Bus drivers can’t really do anything about it. If the Driver kicks off the kids, then the parents complain to the school board because their “sweet innocent child” was kicked off for doing “nothing wrong”. I support this father and can feel why he was angry. There needs to be punishment for kids like that.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:15amExterminate them before they breed. These kids have had their characters fully formed by now. Best research establishes that the character of a person is fully formed, (not their brain, their character) by the time they are five years old. From that we can take away the sure and certain knowledge that they are always going to have the kind of mean streak which gives them permission to torment a kid in a wheelchair. I just can’t get past that fact. They are the kind of people who think it’s fun to torment a child in a wheelchair. And they will someday be loosed on society, probably somewhere high up in government.
Report Post »Chiron Pyrope
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 3:32amIt is difficult to not overreact to seeing someone pick on your child. I’m not sure whether I could have restrained myself from doing some physical damage to the bullies, but it is always the correct response to avoid such overreactions. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Report Post »Rob
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:21amI would have done the same damn thing….but worse.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:55amWhen I was in school, smacking your kid around wasn’t considered child abuse. If my neighbor or teacher or relative other than my parent would have corrected me and I went home and told my parents, I’d have gotten it again, just because I acted up and needed corrected in the first place. You hoped the neighbor or teacher didn’t tell your folks; you surely weren’t going to tell them! I don’t hit children although I have been sorely tempted. The point is, people used to be embarrassed if someone had to correct their kid when they were away from home, they were the ones apologizing and they certainly didn’t expect an apology from the person who had to do the correcting!
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:15amI don’t hold it against him… but imagine being the parent of any one of the kids on that bus. You’d be pissed.
He went in without all the facts, and intimidated (whether he meant to or not) kids that had nothing to do with the situation. It wasn’t very bright.
Report Post »jamesctheman
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:37amAs a father I see his rage. My family comes first. If anyone messes with my wife or my son I see red. They have been my saving grace in life. If I didn’t have them I would be in jail or dead instead of a productive Good American Patriot. This guy might be the same way. I would have probably had the same reaction. It breaks my heart to watch a man have to apologize for wanting to protect his daughter. These kinds of things are natural. Kids are going to bully other kids. It’s human nature to attack who you appear to be weaker. It’s our job as parents to identify these behaviors not just in the school yards but in our own homes.
Report Post »seayalater73
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 3:01amI cannot imagine how else he could have handled this. Called the cops? I don’t know. I just know that I am as willing to act as innapropriatley as possible where my children’s safety is concerned. I know I would not be gracious enough to apologize afterword. I gotta give this guy credit for threading a needle I couldn’t. Sometimes you just have to throw civility to the wind, and set the example of accountability after. I hope those young men on the bus took that much away from this.
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:05amChildren today are totally out of control and lack discipline. I hope the bullies did get scared on that bus. I hold the bus driver & principle most responsible. The bus driver needs to write up the kids who are doing the bullying. The principle and parents should be notified and children should be punished for breaking rules. I don‘t blame the Father even though he didn’t set the best example.
Report Post »Thunderstorm 316
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:37amI like this guy God bless him, I dont think his daughter will have any more problems again.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:07amNow that he has backed down, it will get worse on his child because the little monsters are vindicated by the apology. He will have to take his child out of any system where those little bas#^$%!* are allowed to be. What kind of people raise children who are capable of bullying a child in a wheelchair? This comes directly from the character of those parents. Children learn what they live. Their parents are the kind of people who bully those who can’t fight back for themselves and those are the kinds of people who raise children who act like these did. We should probably exterminate them before they’re old enough to breed.
Report Post »carrera
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 9:23amwingedwolf- American Children have witnessed first hand our very own Leaders, politicians, who use bullying as a tactic. We have Unions and community agitators, Senators and Congressional leaders who have absolutely no shame. Our own President has bullied Bond holders, Doctors, Bankers, average citizens with no mercy. American children can not escape this. Parents need to routinely tell their children immediately after viewing our Politicians mocking and ridiculing their opponents how reprehensible their behavior is. Parents must manage the message better, teachers must stop ignoring the situation and voters must get to the polls in November. I support this father, while I believe he should have used more restraint, it is his job to protect his child when the system fails.
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:37amI completely empathize with this man. He tried to get the school to handle the problem, but they didn’t. The problem is the union mentality of many school employees: “It’s not my job“ or ”Somebody else will do it later”. There’s not enough accountability. Here’s the solution, but it will never be implemented: Either eliminate one school district beaurocrat for every school bus and hire managers to keep order on the busses, or, get enough of the aforementioned beaurocrats to get off their duffs twice a day and they do it.
Report Post »ARanger45
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:34amas a father I totaly agree!! However he should have and should still get a lawyer and sue the school, and bus driver.
Report Post »Miami
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:31amPS :
Report Post »Mr Jones should sue the school board and the bus carrier for neglect.
Miami
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:28amI would like to know why the driver did not intervene on behalf of Mr Jones’ daughter? Why were no report filed for the acts of bullying, as the responsible adult present he should have intervened ore at least taken their names and reported them to school officials. Preventing the father from having to take action.
Yes, what he did was wrong but what does one do in the face of their child being terrorized? While the school officials do nothing…!
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:38amYou’re going to love the answer to that question…..He doesn‘t speak English well and wasn’t aware that the things said to the child were bullying language! If I‘m lyin’ I‘m dyin’! Some representative either of the school system or the bus company came in front of the cameras and said that. Although, I think that even if I don’t speak Chinese, I can see that several Chinese children are acting in a harassing or threatening manner to another Chinese child. That doesn’t take a Phd in psychology. LOL
Report Post »samgin
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 9:51amI agree when a child is harrassed on a bus, and it happens more often than you might think, to any child, they dont have to have an illness. That the bus driver should have moved that childs seat, up to the front, where he can somewhat monitor any situation. The driver allowed this display of temper and obsenities, on the bus and could have easily put other kids in jeopardy, maybe even him or her self.
Report Post »FED UP WITH D.C.
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:37amIf it is true that the bus driver does not speak English or even good English then he/she should not be driving a school bus. PERIOD! What would have happened if there would have been something more serious & the bus driver can’t understand what a kid is saying. I find it amazing that this man is in legal trouble for protecting his child. Yes, he could have handled it better but instinctively you are going to do what you feel you have to do at the time to protect your child! (regret the way it was handled later!)
My girl is 9y/o w/ learning disabilities. She is a kind, sweet, helpful, loving child & that makes her a target for bully’s. Last year there was a boy in her class that rode her bus & was demanding everyday that she bring him food, money & whatever he wanted. One day she asked me to buy her fruit roll ups. Me knowing that she doesn’t like them I asked her why she wanted them. It took a while for her to tell me what was going on & the boy was demanding them & that she was to bring him one everyday. Turns out she had told the bus driver & nothing was done. When I found out I went to the school. Nothing was done. Finally, I ended up “speaking” face to face with the driver & she said she didn’t think it was a big deal. Needless to say it took a lot get this boy off the bus & to leave her alone! I can see this man’s frustrations!
Report Post »Fudd the wabbit hunter
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:19amRight idea, wrong actions…
Report Post »Dale
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:11amHave we lost our minds that someone trying to protect his daughter from harrassment is found to be criminal?
Report Post »Keyser_Soze
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:20amPlace me on the jury…I will make sure justice is served. He is only being a good Father.
Report Post »BorderCollieFeeder
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 9:59pmMy sister has driven a school bus for nearly twenty years. She put the blame on the driver for not handling or assessing the situation properly from the get go.
Report Post »NotWaiting4Godot
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:08amI love this guy. I‘m glad he didn’t actually open a can-of-whip-ass on the perpetrators. But only for his sake.
Report Post »Timekeeper
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:39amHe didn’t hurt anyone – He was protecting his child – and – I’m glad to see it.
JJ Coolay
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 3:46amI hate bullying and I can empathize with that father.
Report Post »He did step it up a bit much, but he didnt hurt anyone either—which of course was good.
I can’t blame him for his reaction.
PostProgressiveAmerican
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:36amGood for him. If people don’t raise their children better and other adults do nothing, parents of the bullied children should step in to let the bullies know thier actions will not be tolerated. I have had to do the same thing in our neighborhood, and it stopped.
Do the right thing.
Report Post »Sicboy
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:03amI’d like to see the little brats that harrased this mans daughter perpwalked to the Principals office.
Report Post »handsoutofmypocket
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:21amsince when do kids have rights…..you have to earn them first…
Report Post »Peters
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:47amThis is a glowing metaphor . . . little narcissistic liberals taking a ride on School Bus America bullying and destroying, only to satisfy boredom, feeding their need to control.
This man intervened on a bus of little progressives (aka libs) posturing and practicing, tormenting his daughter. Aside from the father’s manner of expressing his anger, he‘s in his right to fix his family’s problems.
Like the Tea Party, he’s frustrated and not taking any more. And although he’s rough around the edges in his approach . . . he loves his children and will do what is needed to protect them just the Tea Party in a more productive manner, will act as teacher to the Republican Party, to America, to those that do not understand how to deal with bullies, with liberals, Progressives.
But excuse me for now . . . I have to go off and correct my little girl; I hear her arguing with her sister . . . got a little bullying going on as they’re getting ready for school . . . She’s young and filled with liberalisms, adolescent narcissisms . . Our house is working on teaching those natural unrefined unchecked tendencies out of her, and her sister. We don’t want little Progressives running around growing into big Progressives . . . bullies that is.
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 9:44amI never support violence and threats of violence. The father has apologized saying he was out of line. he will be punished and accepts it. The kids that were the bullies have learned not to bully his daughter. he will sleep easy.
Report Post »Buck Bagaw
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:38amThe people that were supposed to keep his daughter safe while in their charge should be doing the apologizing, and then sanctioned for criminal negligence. This man is just a father protecting his child from abuse when nobody else would do it.
Report Post »democratgirl
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:28amBravo. Progressives will look at this man as the bad guy and the daughter will never get equal justice. Very sad state of affairs in this country. I think we all need to support this man. Email him, send him letters letting him know we support him. He did not physically hurt anyone and his back was against the wall. I have been there myself with my son (11 years old), but when he was kicked out of school for defending himself (he was attacked from the rear in the school hallway) against a girl (much bigger than he). We immediately got a lawyer and kicked their butts. My son was reinstated, and the other kids were kicked out. The Vice Principal was put on suspension without pay for 30 days because she did not communicate with us over the situation. It was the best $200 I ever spent for 2 hrs in hiring an attorney. PARENTS: if you have been wronged or accused wrongly, either thru your children or personally, by a school administration, GET A LAWYER FIRST. Do not try to handle it yourself. When doing so, find an attorney who is a conservative and one who actually will defend your rights and not SETTLE or compromise. If you are clearly in the right, then FIGHT IT TOOTH AND NAIL, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, IF YOU MUST. Personally, I am so tired of school officials defending the bullies and shoving the good kids to the side. If I could have home-schooled my kids, I would have. Parents, if you can, you may want to start a community conservative group that can be contacted by parents who have had similar problems, as a support tool. If you are a conservative parent and you know these things are going on in your school, start a support group then get the word out to all the parents that there are other parents out there that will come to your aid if warranted. The only way to fight a corrupt and misguided establishment is to have SUPPORT IN NUMBERS and a good lawyer ;-))
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:00pmFinnally a man that stepped up in a questionable way for what is right. All of us must stand up and help those that are most vunerable. It is what Beck is doing for all of us. Just remember no violence.
DrammyCoke
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:48pmWe need more men to stand up for and to love their kids like this man!!!
Report Post »Compete or Lose
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 9:11pmYou know, what he did was wrong…..but I would have done it too in his situation. I think he is a dad that cares about his daughter and tried to do everything he could to help her…….I hope the police/county attorney take it easy on him.
Good luck to you James Willie Jones and to your family.
RGS
Report Post »nhall729
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:38pmMy hats off to you sir. You and your daughter and family will be in my thoughts and prayers in dealing with the aftermath.
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