Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

Teacher caught on video punching student gets GoFundMe page for legal fees — and it soars past $170K

A high school music teacher who was caught on video repeatedly punching a 14-year-old student inside a classroom got a GoFundMe page set up for him by a fellow school district employee to assist with legal fees — and as of Friday morning the funds topped $170,000.

“This is Marston Riley, and I’m letting you know that this GoFundMe page is legit,” Riley, the teacher in question, said in a video posted on the GoFundMe page. “I want to thank Cecilia Diaz for setting it up for me, and I want to thank you for supporting me.”

What happened?
Riley, 64, was arrested Nov. 2 on suspicion of child abuse and causing great bodily injury on a child, KTLA-TV reported, after the incident at Maywood Academy High School, which is in the Los Angeles County school district.

He was released Saturday morning after posting $50,000 bail, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing Sheriff’s Department inmate records, and is scheduled for a Nov. 30 arraignment.

What are students saying?
All the students who spoke to KTLA Friday night were sympathetic to Riley and said the student in the video pushed him too far. In fact, one student told the station it was a setup.

“Everything was planned out,” the student told KTLA. “There were students there who were already taking out their phones to record the incident. I don’t think it’s completely fair that they’re just putting the blame all on [Riley], when I personally know that he’s a good guy.”

The blow-by-blow account
Students told the station the confrontation started after Riley asked the boy to leave the classroom for not wearing a proper uniform. The student in question allegedly refused, KTLA said. Cellphone video shows the boy swearing at the teacher and repeatedly calling Riley, who is black, the N-word.

The student is also seen throwing a basketball at Riley, after which the station said Riley pulled out his cellphone to call for backup.

“C’mon, bro,” the student is heard saying. “Walk the f*** back [N-word].” Riley does walk back, and video showed the student continue the verbal barrage, including calling Riley a “bitch” and challenging him: “I’m right here, bro. Everybody watching, my [N-word]. What’s up?”

Riley warns the student several times, “You better leave” — and a minute and a half after the video of the confrontation started the teacher is seen suddenly punching the boy in the face.

The student attempts to defend himself and moves backward to far edge of the classroom as Riley delivers another blow and knocks him down.

The student gets up, drops his backpack, and squares off.

Riley then delivers what appear to be at least another dozen or so blows and goes after the kid again after others attempt to intervene.

Another student appears to punch Riley as well.

The boy who started the confrontation is dragged away by staff, hollering at Riley unintelligibly. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated for moderate injuries and released, the Times reported, citing the Sheriff’s Department.

At the end of the clip Riley is seen asking other students who hit him, presumably in reference to the second student seen apparently punching the teacher.

What did the school have to say?
School district officials said they were “extremely disturbed” by reports of the fight, telling the paper in a statement: “We take this matter very seriously and do not condone violence or intolerance of any kind. Los Angeles Unified is cooperating with law enforcement in investigating this incident.”

What did another student have to say about Riley?
“I had this teacher before, and I had no problem with him,” the student told KTLA. “He was a really nice teacher, I always respected him. He always had a really good relationship with every student.”

The Times added that many on social media defended Riley, saying that he was pushed too far and that student was out of line for using racial slurs.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/11/09/teacher-caught-on-video-punching-student-gets-gofundme-page-for-legal-fees-and-it-soars-past-170k?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=scout
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Don't go to court, let them put gloves on and settle it in a ring.
My money would be bet on the teacher to kick the punk's ass.

Wolf counselor Loc: Heart of Texas

Yep, he ripped off a few good ones on that little racist punk.

I hope the money helps him win his case.

He moved around pretty good for a 64 year old man.

Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

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Yes I think he could kick that racist punks ass in a "fair" fight and that would do that boy more good than anything else.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

If the races was reversed, as we have seen over and over, that teacher would loose his job and be in jail. I have said time over, we train our dogs much better than we are training our children.

rumitoid

The fact that that teacher should be in jail despite his race is why you are not even the last person to speak on race relations or morality. Certain imperatives come with certain positions. Okay, Trump does not realize that so you may be confused. Teachers do not beat up on students for disagreements or insults. It is not just wrong for teachers but anyone. However, especially for teachers. The classroom is to be for the safe and free expression of ideas. The damage that teacher did to all his other students by his reprehensible actions is incalculable. Education is now dangerous. In a way, that teacher has committed murder, the death of freedom of expression for many in that class.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

The major problem is the kid, he absolutely had no respect for the teacher, fellow class mates, or himself. And that problem was created in the home. If you do not raise a child with respect, it does not magically happen. Yes, the teacher should not have punched, kicked and abuse the kid..... it was wrong no matter which angle this is viewed. But, my bet... this teacher will keep his job with perhaps a slap on his wrist and told not to do it again. The child will be either suspended or even expelled. In his future, if he is not killed by someone as crude as he, he will be in jail by the time he reaches 30 for a major crime. Again, I blame the parents or should I say the woman he gave birth to him and the man who fathered him, because they are not fulfilling the role of parenting.

rumitoid

And if you do raise a child with respect, it does not always happen that they get it. Many variables. Like you, I feel if you are truly a good parent to your children, they will turn out decent and loving and generous and simply marvelous. Hard to say how that could go wrong.

Betta

The student got the ass kicking his daddy should have given him. I stand with the teacher. Man, if that happened when I was coming up...well, it wouldn't have happened at all. Get in trouble in school you had double trouble when your ass got home.

Betta

Yep, you're right about that! It ALL starts at home. Somehow, somewhere, kids are taught they don't have to respect anyone. Parents no longer parent. Need to go back to the old school way of raising kids. We'd see a different kind of kid who is afraid of consequences for bad behavior. Now, if you frown at them you could go to jail.