Photo: GoFundMe
A high school music teacher in Los Angeles faces a child abuse allegation after video shows him punching a teenaged student.
Marston Riley, 64, of Maywood Academy High School in California was released from jail on Saturday, one day after he was filmed punching a 14-year-old boy repeatedly during class.
Though Riley appeared to be standing quietly at first, he can later be seen striking the boy, who was seen on the ground wrapping his arms around Riley’s leg. The altercation ended when a woman in a yellow safety vest intervened.
The Special Victims Bureau of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department is currently conducting an investigation.
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District Superintendent Beutner also released astatementfollowing the altercation.
“The incident we saw does not reflect the values of Maywood Academy High School and the wonderful teachers and students who make up the Maywood community,” he said. “We will continue our work to make each school a safe and welcoming learning environment for students and to provide teachers and staff with the support they deserve.”
Though Riley did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, he spoke out in aYouTube videothanking students for their support.
Cecilia Diaz Jimenez, who claims to have previously worked at Maywood Academy, created aGoFundMe pagefor Riley. “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,” she wrote in the page description.
“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. He is a great person and a great teacher,” Jimenez added.
source: people.com
