Jacksonville teacher arrested 4 times in 2 years

A Raines High School teacher has been fired after multiple arrests and “excessive” unauthorized leave without pay.

Jason Perry has been arrested four times over roughly the past two years. The School Board voted Tuesday night to suspend Perry without pay pending termination.

In March 2015, the DCPS investigation says Perry was arrested by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for making repeated harassing phone calls, which is a misdemeanor charge. Perry entered into a pre-trial intervention program on the charge and paid court costs and fines. The district administered a written reprimand in September in connection to this arrest.

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In January 2016, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested Perry for an out of county arrest warrant for misdemeanor stalking, ultimately pleading nolo contendere and being adjudicated guilty. For that, he was sentenced to twelve months of probation. Another written reprimand was issued by the district for that arrest.

Last August, the investigation says Perry was again arrested by JSO for an out of county warrant, this time for violation of probation on a stalking charge. The investigative reports say he was sentenced to 60 days in jail and released from custody October 15, 2016.

The most recent incident was January 6, 2017, when Perry showed up at Otis Mason Elementary School in St. Johns County, where his son was at school. The front desk clerk said Perry was trying to change his son’s emergency card and take him home, despite Perry not being allowed to be on the campus. He was acting disruptive, including calling the school’s principal a liar when he said there was nothing wrong with Perry’s child.

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The child’s mother was also contacted about the incident. She told investigators she’s concerned about her safety, the safety of her son, and the future of her job at Otis Mason Elementary School, if Perry’s behavior continues. The Florida Department of Children and Families was contacted by SJSO, and ultimately the Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested Perry for violation of an injunction for protection order.

In addition to the arrests, Perry is accused of taking excessive unauthorized leave without pay -- 58 days since the start of the 2016-2017 school year. He has been the subject of three district investigations in the past including two connected to arrests and one from October 2014, when he got a verbal warning for inviting students to view his public Twitter account, which had inappropriate pictures, offensive images, and sentiments.

Perry did not agree to be interviewed by district investigators, according to the report. He said he would provide a written statement, but none has been received to this point.

Action News Jax news partner WOKV asked DCPS why the district moved because of Perry's latest arrest and not as the result of prior arrests. A district spokeswoman says all arrests are reviewed to make a determination about whether the employee should be removed from the classroom. The review examines whether the employee conduct violates any board policy or the Principals of Professional Conduct.

The district further says Perry was removed from the classroom from this investigation, pending the Board’s action Tuesday night.

Cox Media Group