$65K raised for teacher after fight with student

An online fundraiser generated more than $65,000 for a Southern California music teacher who was arrested Friday after fighting with a student.

Marston Riley, 64, of Maywood Academy High School in Maywood, California, was arrested on a charge of child abuse after an altercation with a 14-year-old male student during class, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Office. Riley posted bond and was released, officials said, while the boy was taken to a hospital, treated for injuries and released.

Video of the incident shows the student verbally harassing Riley, throwing a basketball at him and repeatedly calling him a racial slur. Riley then starts hitting the teen before a woman tries to intervene.

Students told KTLA that the confrontation began after Riley asked the teen to leave the classroom for violating the dress code.

The GoFundMe campaign was created Saturday for Riley by Cecilia Diaz Jimenez, who said she works for the same school district as Riley and previously worked at the same high school.

“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 read. “He is a great person and a great teacher.”

Riley thanked those who donated to the GoFundMe in a short video on the website.

“You are a blessing,” he said.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Unified School District officials said they were “extremely disturbed” by reports of the fight.

“We take this matter very seriously and do not condone violence or intolerance of any kind,” the statement read.