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NYC principal beaten after asking student to turn down music
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Original Publication Date: October 26, 2016 10:52AM
Publication Updated: April 27, 2025 9:36AM
NEW YORK – A principal of a New York City public high school who was beaten by a student after asking him to turn down the music in his headphones is recovering.
Dr. Matthew Tossman addressed a letter to his students at Manhattan Early College School for Advertising on Tuesday thanking them for their support. He also said he’ll be back as soon as possible.
Tossman had asked an 18-year-old student on the lower Manhattan campus on Monday to turn down his music-blaring headphones.
A Department of Education spokesman says that according to police Tossman was attempting to pick up the headphones from the ground when he was punched and beaten.
The student, identified as Luis Penzo, was arraigned on assault charges. His lawyer said he was acting out because his mother died of a brain aneurysm last year.
Another student told the New York Post (http://nyp.st/2ePfPqt ) the school has gotten “out of control.”
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This story corrects to show that the principal was punched after attempting to pick up the headphones from the ground instead of attempting to remove them.
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Information from: New York Post, http://www.nypost.com
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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