Blind history teacher in Farmingdale inspires students

A blind history teacher at Farmingdale High School who was once told that he could not become a teacher is entering his 25th year in the district. Jim Hughes is teaching advanced U.S. history, but

News 12 Staff

Sep 16, 2016, 2:52 AM

Updated 2,941 days ago

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A blind history teacher at Farmingdale High School who was once told that he could not become a teacher is entering his 25th year in the district.
Jim Hughes is teaching advanced U.S. history, but also important lessons about perseverance to his students.
"He overcomes his challenges every day and still has a smile on his face when he is teaching us," says student Davina Gyedu.
"I want them to have a love of knowledge, a passion for history," Hughes told News 12 Long Island. "I want them to be better people to one another and to the people out in the world."
Hughes and his wife Diana have three children. He can also be seen in the 1981 movie "Bustin Loose" with Richard Pryor. He plays a blind child steering a bus down a steep hill.