JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Caroline Lee, who had spent nearly eight years at Darnell Cookman Middle-High teaching ninth-grade English, had just been named the school's Teacher of the Year last October when the unthinkable happened.
She was accused of striking a student, something she adamantly denied doing. She says she has dedicated her career to teaching and serving local youth with out-of-pocket trips to the theater, ice cream parties and more. She said she's never struck a child and never would.
That's why, Lee said, she was shocked when she felt a rush by school officials to put blame on her. Lee says the process school administrators and police officers took that day and beyond was one-sided and unfair.
Last week, the State Attorney's Office said the case lacked evidence and dropped the charge. On paper, her name has been cleared.
But the damage has been done, Lee says. In an interview with the Times-Union, she's speaking out in hopes other teachers are better protected than she was when situations arise when a student may be "crying wolf."
