A Marin County man faces a court hearing next week that includes charges of punching a San Rafael school official for apparently opposing racism-related education efforts.

San Rafael’s James Hallahan Keating, 61, has been charged with two misdemeanors for allegedly attacking Greg Nell, 73, in a shopping center parking lot. is a former San Rafael School Board member heading to the Marin County Board of Education after running for office in .

The charges against Keating are battery and battery against the elderly, according to the prosecution’s complaint.

Keating has a change plea hearing and a motion hearing scheduled for October 6 in Marin County Superior Court. His attorney, Aaron Pressman of the Marin County Public Defender’s Office, could not be reached for comment.

Keating tried to reach him by phone or in person, but he did not respond. A person at his door said Keating didn’t want to comment.

According to Knell, the incident occurred just before 4:00 p.m. on April 25, 2021. He said the attackers approached him as he tried to exit his car at Terra His Linda’s Northgate His Wan parking lot.

“He just accused me of teaching racism and punched me,” Nell said this week. .”

Nell said the man did not explain what he meant by “teaching racism” or the educational efforts he was believed to be involved in.

Knell called 911. Police contacted Keating at a nearby business and asked him to go outside and be interviewed, said a San Rafael police sergeant.Raul Aguilar

“The suspect did not resist or obstruct officers,” he said.

Police arrested Keating on suspicion of battery, Aguilar said.

Nell said he didn’t know the attacker. Nell, who has been with the San Rafael Board of Education for 17 years, said the man was likely aware of his many years of service as a public school employee.

Knell said he suffered a mild concussion and cuts and bruises to his face.Photos taken four days after the attack showed Knell’s left eye swollen shut and his face covered in a large, deep purple bruise. is shown.

Nell, who runs a printing business, returned to work after a two-week leave of absence, but said he spent some time out of the public eye while his bruises healed. , other Marine educators contacted by the Independent Journal said they were unaware that it had happened.

Prosecutors filed charges in June 2021. Knell said he was reluctant to talk about it now, but said it was important to warn other Marin officials to be careful, so he will speak up. I agreed.

He also said it was important to discuss the incident as it appeared to be related to an alarming increasing trend across the country in which public officials, especially school officials, were being targeted by far-right extremists. rice field.

“I saw this on TV, people attacking school board members,” he said. He added that it was part of a school-related campaign that also included book bans, anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theories and accusations against teachers in general and history teachers in particular. ”

“They say they support ‘back to basics’ in math, English, science, and more,” says Knell. “It’s just code to go back to a sanitized fairy tale version of history, like the Mayflower landing.”

Knell speculates that many perpetrators are instigated by specific media outlets who want to promote violence for political reasons.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland formed a team last year to deal with violence against teachers, school administrators and board members.

“Intimidation of public officials is not only illegal, it goes against the core values ​​of our country,” Garland said.

Nell will represent northern San Rafael on the county board of education when he takes office in mid-December.