Crowd Defends Teacher Accused In Bizarre Fontana Hazing Incident
FONTANA (CBS) — A standing room only crowd of parents and supporters attended a school board meeting in Fontana Wednesday and most said they were there to support a teacher who is accused of taking part in a hazing incident.
Carter Evans, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to the teacher's supporters and, to a man, they said "There's no way he did this."
He is 27-year-old Emmanuel De La Rosa. The this? He's the AB Miller High School teacher of encouraging -- possibly even directing -- students to haze their classmates.
Dozens spoke out in support.
He was arrested last weekend, with four students, and accused of child abuse and false imprisonment.
De La Rosa's family and some students claim he wasn't even in the classroom when the alleged hazing took place.
Details about what did or didn't happen remain sketchy. Police have remained tight-lipped.
We know three students, underage, were arrested and sent to a juvenile hall facility. Another student, 18-year-old Fernando Salgado, is still in jail. He was booked on two counts each of sexual penetration and false imprisonment by violence.
De La Rosa's father-in-law Matthew Tostado says his son-in-law is a decent, honorable and good man. "Look at everyone who's here. If the man had been harming children, like they're making it out to be, would these people be here?"
