ALLENTOWN, Pa. – An Allentown teacher who goaded students into ditching class to protest for social justice was convicted of three counts of corruption of youth on Monday and ordered to pay fines.

Allentown school district officials initially sought 417 charges against former Medical Academy Charter School teacher Michael Frassetto – one for each student who walked out of class with his encouragement in late September to protest the district’s treatment of minority students, the Allentown Morning Call reports.

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Frassetto helped to organize the Sept. 28 walkout that involved a rally at the city’s Martin Luther King, Jr. monument, and some students were even driven to the protest in a limo. Frassetto also allegedly posted a video to social media urging students to ditch class and promising them they wouldn’t get in trouble for the stunt, according to Lehigh Valley Ramblings.

At the student rally, some followed along with Frasseto’s chants of “they don’t care” and “We young. We strong. We marching all night long,” while others mulled around in small groups before abandoning the protest, EAGnews reports.

During testimony Monday, District Judge Karen Devine heard from Frassetto’s attorney, Gary Asteak, who likened the former teacher to Nelson Mandela and Ghandi for encouraging students to stand up for their rights. District attorneys, on the other hand, argued that Frassetto irresponsible enticed the teens to leave school and create a disruption, and his antics put students at risk.

“Attending school is mandated by law and the district believed that Frassetto broke the corruption of youth law that deals with abetting truancy. But at the conclusion of the summary trial, Devine said she could only find evidence of Frassetto’s direct involvement in three instances,” according to the Morning Call.

“They include Sept. 28 and Sept. 29, when he used a bullhorn outside Allen High School to tell students to leave school, and earlier in September when he was spotted at Dieruff High School football game talking to students. Frassetto admitted to all three incidents.”

The news site reports that about eight students cheered the guilty verdicts, with one yelling after the ruling that “my boy beat the case.”

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Frassetto did not apologize for his involvement in the walkout after the verdict, but rather doubled-down on his claims that the district is failing minority students.

He gave thanks to those who supported the student walkout in a prepared statement Monday.

“That continued support of our students is essential to their future and to our city, which was to bring attention to the failure, ineptitude and inequalities that exist within the Allentown School District,” he said, according to the Morning Call.

Throughout his trial, Frassetto tried his best to deflect blame for inciting the walkout to students, and other adults who helped facilitate the protest.

“In his testimony, Frassetto repeatedly said the walkouts were not his idea but were proposed by students. He said he was not the only organizer of the walkouts. Frassetto said he reached out to the principals and Allentown police before the walkouts to let them know about them,” according to the news site.

“During his testimony, Frassetto was steadfast in saying he was not the sole decision maker. He said a professor created informational cards that encouraged the walkout and were dispersed in lockers. Frassetto said he did not tell the professor what to write on the cards.”

Frassetto told the court he was unsure if he posted to Facebook about the protest because other people have access to his account, an excuse Devine seemed to accept.

When pressed by attorneys on his involvement, he said “I gave kids the opportunity to exercise their First Amendment right.”

The Sept. 28 protest was designed to kick off a week of unrest to demand the resignation of superintendent Russ Mayo, a summer employment program, and a student representative on the school board.

The protests flamed out in the second day, however, after numerous students were issued unexcused absences, in-school suspensions and other punishments for leaving school Sept. 28. Many students told school officials they attended the Sept. 28 rally for free Chinese food that was served to students at the King statue, according to the Morning Call.

Asteak told the media Frassetto is currently “taking a break” from teaching.