So, in Maywood Academy High School in Maywood, CA, south of Los Angeles, a well respected African American music teacher, Marston Riley, asked a male student that was not dressed in accordance with the school’s dress code policy leave his classroom. The student refused to leave the classroom, threw a baseball at the teacher and yelled. "Why you wisecracking, my n-----?”
What would you have done at this point if you were a high school teacher?
Well, Mr. Riley. decided to hand out his own punishment. First he called for back-up and then proceeded to lay down a whoop-ass beatin’ on that poor boy.
As with anything in this day, there are multiple video accounts of the beat down. The kid was taken to a local hospital and the teacher was arrested for child abuse. The school is considering dismissing the teacher.
But wait there’s more. Some sympathetic members of the community started a go-fund me campaign and have raised over $85,000 for the teacher to be used for his legal defense and to help him if he gets fired by the school. Some of those donating said they don’t necessarily agree with teachers beating up students, but they definitely don’t agree with racial slurs being used against teachers.
So my question is: Is violence justified against hate speech?
I don’t think so. Mr. Riley did not act appropriately, and defending himself against hate speech is not justified. He is the adult and should act like one. He should face the consequences of his actions, whatever his employer and community decide.