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California music teacher arrested after punching student

November 5, 2018

A 64-year-old music teacher took numerous swings at a 14-year-old student who appeared to be acting belligerently at a Los Angeles area high school on Friday. [Cal Coast Times]

The fist fight resulted in the teacher’s arrest. However, numerous people are coming to the defense of the teacher.

Video of the incident shows the 14-year-old student standing at the front of the classroom, yelling profanity and racial slurs at teacher Marston Riley. At one point, Riley throws a punch at the student, and a fight ensues.

During the brawl, Riley landed at least several punches on the student. Eventually, the fight was broken up.

The student suffered moderate injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He was transported to the hospital, where he received treatment and was later released.

Officers arrested Riley for child abuse and booked him in jail. Riley later posted bail and was released from custody.

The Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau is continuing to investigate the case.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has raised more than $50,000 in just two days to help cover Riley’s legal expenses. The fundraising page states unpleasant events have happened to Riley over the past few years, with Friday’s incident being the latest.

“We all may have mixed feelings about what happened. But please do know that this is not the first time that Mr. Riley is attacked; physically or verbally,” the GoFundMe page states. “He is a great person and a great teacher.”


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Promoting violence against our school children is unacceptable. Go work in a prison if you want to get away with punching people. Earn the respect of your students by being their advocates. There were plenty of ways to handle that one. Riley lost my vote when he started acting like a convict.


-6

“Our school children”. This kid is well on his way to being one of our “prison children”. That day will come sooner rather than later. It was inconceivable a generation ago for a kid to talk to any adult like that. Sorry for the teacher. He blew it for sure but enough is enough


4

You CLEARLY haven’t been anywhere near a high school classroom in a long, long time. Students have NO true understanding of “respect” though they’ll talk as they do because that what they hear and see on the reality shows pounded into their heads and no decent parental unit to correct them. They don’t even respect themselves and this attitude is put towards their teachers REGULARLY in the modern day class room.


5

So, if you piss me off, I can put hands on you?


-2

Yes


1

Bad move, felony assult. The kid was not physically attacking him. The teacher is much bigger and allowed the kid to provoke his ego. Thin skinned teachers should not teach adolescent children, it’s not easy. The teacher threw the first punch. The kid was a disrespectful punk, however committing assult and battery on him was stupid and deserves no praise. The other kid was trying to defend his child friend from an adult aggressor, justified. The kid deserved suspension or expulsion until he was attacked. Get it right people, like it or not, child abuse.


-3

Praise to the teacher. I attended parochial schools and there was the utmost respect for teachers back then and behavior like this was unacceptable. Although at times there would be a “violator” in the class and once it went to far guess what? The nun or brother had a visit with that person in the hallway and there was a 100% improvement with the “violators” conduct and we went back to getting our education. Great to see public support for the teacher.


3

Lord of the Flies…I’m sure this kid never read it.  Sorry for the teacher.  Respect is disappearing. 


21

Okay who made the coffee that morning?…


11

And look at the other students egging it on. Very sad. He should have called for backup, and or asked the punk to go to the principals office. Wonder why little teaching progress in these schools?


Student / instigator number 2 also needs heavy discipline. He is the one who swung at the teachers back and was recording the confrontation.


12

I grew up in that neighborhood and understand it well….and that young , entitled punk provoked that teacher….Yes, the teacher should have walked away as the “adult”, but with all the racial slurs flying, how is this also NOT a federal hate crime? Oh yes, forgot, is it impossible to experience black on black “hate crimes? Teacher retires, get’s his pension and the punk should be expelled.


11

Oh, shit. I’m sorry but, really? Teacher, you let that punk ruin your job and maybe your freedom. There is a professional way to handle that kind of situation and that would be getting some more adults in the room before you started throwing punches. And yes, you did start throwing the punches. Sorry Teach, good luck. In the good ol’ days that would have been appropriate. 


5

gofundme.com/for-mr-riley


Besides the racial slurs, the punk kid also threw a basketball at the teacher.

Over $64K has been donated for Mr. Riley’s legal fees and I hope the teachers’ union defends him.


13

It takes a lot to be a good school teacher. Fullfilling the desire to beat a kids ass is not one of them.


4

pasoparent5, I am a martial artist. The teacher flunked at being a teacher. It is not legal to assault anyone with your fists, especially someone under age. The teacher and the school will be successfully sued. The teacher will face criminal charges. The kid could have actually used deadly force legally to defend himself if he was in fear of bodily damage or loss of his life. Let’s support non-violence in our schools, please. 


5

He just got some from me! Thanks for posting the link.


4

Oh…he’s up to nearly $120k from nearly 5000 donors.


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