Colleague Defends Teacher Who Was Seen Punching Student In Video, GoFundMe Raises Over $35,000

Neetu Chandak

A colleague is coming to a California teacher’s defense who was arrested Friday for punching a student seen in a video.

Maywood Academy High School music teacher Marston Riley was caught on video beating a student as a woman in a yellow vest tried to intervene. The teacher was arrested Friday and held on $50,000 bail.

Cecilia Diaz Jimenez, who claims to have worked in the same school as Riley between “2015-June 2018,” started a GoFundMe page Saturday that has raised over $35,000 out of the $50,000 goal at the time of reporting.

“He has earned the respect of many teachers, staff and students,” the page said. “Unfortunately, over the past few years unpleasant events have happened to him.”

The fight allegedly started over the student not wearing the correct uniform and refusing to leave the class upon Riley’s request, according to witnesses in the class.

The student was seen throwing a basketball at Riley before the teacher punched the boy in the face, according to video from KTLA 5.

The student, 14, was treated for moderate injuries, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The incident Friday was not the first time Riley was attacked “physically or verbally,” Jimenez added.

Riley was released from jail Saturday.

“However, I will keep this GoFundMe because he is going to need all the help he can get,” Jimenez wrote. “Be mindful that the school district is looking at dismissing him and I would not doubt if the student’s parents are looking into pressing criminal charges. I am sure Mr. Riley will need money to pay any fines, fees and lawyers.”

Riley is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 30, the LA Times reported.

Maywood Academy is part of Los Angeles Unified School District.

Jimenez did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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