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High school teacher arrested after he's filmed brawling with student

A high school teacher has been arrested after he was filmed throwing punches at a student during a classroom fistfight.

Marston Riley was taken into custody on suspicion of child abuse and causing great bodily injury on a child after the brawl broke out at Maywood Academy High School in Maywood, California.

The footage released shows the pair inching closer toward each other before throwing punches, as other students in the classroom film the incident on their phones. It also shows multiple people trying to pull the student away from Riley.

The student reportedly wasn’t wearing the school’s “proper uniform,” local media reported.

Riley can be seen taking a swing at the 14-year-old student in front of stunned students. Image: Yahoo Lifestyle
Riley can be seen taking a swing at the 14-year-old student in front of stunned students. Image: Yahoo Lifestyle

When asked to leave the class, the student refused to do so and reportedly used a racial slur against Riley. The footage also shows the student throwing what appears to be a basketball at Riley before the punches begin.

Riley, 64, was released after posting the $69,000 bail

One parent told KCBS-TV that she was “shocked” by the incident, asking, “Why did it have to escalate to this point?”

A number of students defended Riley. One person told KTLA that Riley “was a really nice teacher” who “always had a really good relationship with every student.”

Footage taken by a fellow student show Riley striking the student who can be seen clutching onto his leg. Image: Yahoo Lifestyle
Footage taken by a fellow student show Riley striking the student who can be seen clutching onto his leg. Image: Yahoo Lifestyle

Los Angeles Unified School District’s chief communications officer, Shannon Haber, gave the following statement to Yahoo Lifestyle regarding the incident.

“We are extremely disturbed by the reports of the events that occurred at Maywood Academy High School. 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,” Ms Haber said,

“Crisis counsellors and additional School Police patrols will be at the school on Monday to support our students and staff.”

According to local news outlets, the sheriff’s special victims’ unit is investigating the incident.