Holding signs, draped in flags and chanting “Bring him back!” dozens of people, including parents and students, gathered Friday morning outside Rancho Cucamonga High School to support a teacher who has been placed on administrative leave for reportedly bringing a gun on campus.

“I’m actually ready to cry to see there’s this much support (for him,” said rally organizer and friend of the teacher — who students and friends identified as Joseph Nguyen — Ashley Biering.

Nguyen is a reserve officer at a neighboring police department, according to Biering and confirmed by Chaffey Joint Unified High School District officials. He is also a survivor of the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas. So were several of the people who showed up for Nguyen Friday morning.

“He helped guide us,” said fellow shooting survivor, Holly Chavez of Rancho Cucamonga. She met Nguyen at a support group for survivors of the deadly attack. “Joe was one of the most outspoken in our group of about 40.His guidance as law enforcement really have us a lot of help.”

The rally was organized following word earlier this week that the unidentified teacher — who also serves as a reserve officer — had been disciplined by district officials.

Many at Friday’s rally held signs in support of the teacher, and said school officials could have handled the incident in a better way. Several motorists honked, in apparent support of the cause, as they drove by the group.

Approximately 100 supporters rally outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rancho Cucamonga High School junior Madison Ellenburg, 17, shows her support Friday morning May 10, 2019 for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. Ellenburg said the teacher was one of her instructors. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Valerie McDaniel (right) shouts at a rally outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Supporters rally outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Rancho Cucamonga High School administration watch as rally takes place outside the school Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)



Rally organizer Ashley Biering shows her support outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A passer by shows his support for a rally outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A supporter rallies outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support of a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Supporters rally outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Supporters Holly Chavez (left) stands with her daughter Lauryn (center) and Valerie McDaniel (right) as they rally outside of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Friday morning May 10, 2019 in support for a science teacher, who is also a reserve police officer, who was put on administrative leave after bringing a weapon on campus. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)



“If I had been a student here I would have felt safer because he would have done everything in his power to protect the students,” said Lauryn Chavez, 20, who graduated from RCHS two years ago.

Biering said this week that she had received hundreds of notes supporting the teacher.

The controversy began after FBI officials got a tip this week advising them that the teacher had brought a firearm on campus, according to Chaffey Joint Union High School District Superintendent Mathew Holton. On Tuesday, federal officials then contacted San Bernardino County sheriff’s and district officials. The teacher subsequently was placed him on administrative leave, according to district officials.

“The California Gun-Free School Zone Act makes it a crime for a person to possess a firearm on or within 1,000 feet of a school campus,” according to a statement from the district. “However, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department informed the district that the law makes an exception for certain individuals, including reserve peace officers who are authorized to carry a firearm.”

Although Nguyen is not facing any criminal charges, his supporters feel the district acted inappropriately.

“Why did they take a beloved teacher out of the classroom two weeks before finals?” asked parent Valerie McDaniel. “This could have been handled another way.”

Several parents noted the recent deadly shooting at a Colorado STEM school where several students were shot and one —Kendrick Castillo, 18 — was killed Tuesday as the perfect example as to why armed teachers are needed.

There was an armed resource officer on campus on the day of the Colorado shooting, according to reports.

There were a few people dropping off students Friday morning and a handful on social media, however, who felt although popular, Nguyen violated policy.

One parent who asked not to be identified said she thinks what he did wasn’t right but wanted the teacher to return.

Parent Valerie McDaniel has two students at RCH asks administrators if this situation couldn't have been handled differently. pic.twitter.com/uYr7pUDCeB — Beatriz Valenzuela (@BeatrizVNews) May 10, 2019

Despite the exception, the district maintains a policy regulation that prohibits any employee, besides the district’s director of safety and campus officers, from bringing firearms onto school premises.

But Nguyen’s supporters believe the legal exception supersedes the district policy and shows the teacher did nothing wrong.