fbpx
Subscribe
Menu

GoFundMe Is Trending: $182K And Rising For Mr. Riley, Teacher Who Punched Racist Student

GoFundMe Is Trending: $182K And Rising For Mr. Riley, Teacher Who Punched Racist Student

Written by Dana Sanchez

Nov 06, 2018

Subscribe

This article has been updated to reflect the fast-growing GoFundMe campaign.

A California music teacher was arrested for punching a racist student who used the N-word on him, and the teacher’s colleagues are supporting him, along with more than 7,600-plus donors on a GoFundMe page.

Marston Riley, a 64-year-old teacher at Los Angeles Maywood Academy High School, was arrested Friday and held overnight at the Los Angeles County Jail on suspicion of child abuse. He was released after posting $50,000 bail, CBS Los Angeles reported.

A video shows the student throwing a basketball at the teacher and asking him “why you wisecracking, my n—–?” Riley approaches the student and begins punching him, Sacramento Bee reported.

Cecilia Diaz Jimenez, who has worked at the same high school for four years, created a GoFundMe page for Riley. As of this writing, the fundraising campaign has raised more than $182,000 — exceeding its $50,000 goal by more than 150 percent.

______________________________________________________________________

Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 07: Tayo Oviosu
Jamarlin Martin catches up with Tayo Oviosu at SXSW 2018. Oviosu is the Founder and CEO of Paga, the leading mobile payments company in Nigeria.

______________________________________________________________________

The GoFundMe Page was created on Nov. 3, which means Riley could now be earning $1,000 an hour or more. That’s a lot more than the school district paid him for what teachers say can be a thankless job marked by low pay, overwhelming responsibility, and demoralizing public opinion.

GoFundMe
From www.gofundme.com/for-mr-riley

This is not the first time Riley has been attacked physically or verbally. According to the GoFundMe page …

Riley “has earned the respect of many teachers, staff and students. Unfortunately, over the past few years unpleasant events have happened to him. Despite all that has happened, he has continued to do what he loves the most, to teach music.”

 

GoFundMe

Students said Riley asked the student to leave the classroom because he wasn’t wearing a proper uniform, according to the New York Post.  The boy refused. One student began recording the exchange that included the teen making racial slurs against Riley, KTLA reported.

“It was just back and forth, back and forth, and then the teacher just decided to throw a punch and that’s when everything happened,” one student told CBS.

Some students, parents and teachers defended Riley on social media and blamed the student for using racial slurs against him.

Cellphone video of the incident shows Riley standing face to face with the student at the front of the class before throwing a punch at him. The student punches Riley back. The footage shows Riley repeatedly punching the student until he ends up on the classroom floor. A female campus officer appears to intervene, but Riley continues punching the student, NY Post reported.

The teen, who has not been publicly identified, was treated for mild to moderate injuries at a local hospital and released, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.

Here are some of the comments from the GoFundMe page:

Edward Kim: Teachers deserve respect! These bad ass little kids need to be taught a lesson. Thank you for Mr. Riley for your great contribution to your community. Hope you’re back in class soon!!

Kathleen Hefner: I do not feel he should be fired for this. He was protecting himself from this kid, (punk) and who knows the punk could of came after him with a gun and killed him if he didn’t stop him. He still could go back and get him if wants too, but I think the punk should be taken out of his class, if the teacher does come back to teach. The kid is dangerous!

GY: Good For You. I’m sick of “kids” thinking they can get away with disrespecting whomever they want just because they’re under 18.

Wilton: Teacher was Wrong and should be fired, if he can’t handle a little verbal abuse he shouldn’t be a teacher. Takes a heck of a man to swing on a kid over a verbal insult. What a tool, FIRE HIM NOW!!!

The school district is looking at dismissing Riley,  Jimenez said on the GoFundMe page. “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.”

The Los Angeles Unified School District said in a statement it does not condone violence or intolerance of any kind.

https://twitter.com/Michael2Wallace/status/1059558911517298693

In this YouTube video, Riley thanks people for donating to the GoFundMe page, and he thanks Jiminez for setting it up.

“You’re a blessing,” Riley said.

✖