AZUSA, Calif. – Dozens of middle school students are protesting the termination of a coach who was fired for redistributing unwanted lunch fruit to hungry student athletes.

Arnold Villalobos, 36, was reportedly fired from Center Middle School last week after a new principal at the school didn’t appreciate the coach’s help, NBC Los Angeles reports.

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Villalobos, a former U.S. Marine and Iraq War vet, coached football, basketball and softball at the school, and helped to oversee students during their lunch periods. Three years ago he noticed that much of the fruit served to students went directly in the trash, so he set out a container to collect the unwanted produce and has redistributed the food to student athletes after school every day since, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

“They were just going to throw it away, so I thought I would do something good,” he told NBC, adding that he always distributed all of the food and took none home.

Food service workers told Villalobos last month that he should not be recycling the fruit, and he immediately stopped, but students took it upon themselves to continue the practice. Villalobos was issued a written warning, suspended and eventually terminated in a meeting at district headquarters last Friday for “taking” fruit from students, NBC Los Angeles reports.

Villalobos told the Tribune the trouble started after a new principal took over last month.

“They told me I had to fill out some paperwork for food to be donated to after school programs so I asked about how to do it but couldn’t get an answer,” he said.

The situation comes as schools across the country struggle to find ways to deal with a massive increase in school food waste tied to federal regulations tied to first lady Michelle Obama’s efforts to fight childhood obesity with government bureaucracy. Experts estimate federal regulations that require all students to take a fruit or vegetable, whether they want it or not, has increased annual school food waste by more than $1 billion annually.

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District superintendent Linda Kaminski refused to discuss the incident with the media, and instead made a statement about “government requirements” and alleged the district has an official food re-serving program. Villalobos said he’s seen no evidence of such a program, and the superintendent could provide NBC Los Angeles with no details about when it started or how it works.

On Wednesday, students marched outside of Central Middle School to protest Villalobos’ firing, chanting “bring back Arnold” and toting signs to pressure district officials into reinstating their favorite coach.

“I just don’t think it’s fair,” eighth-grader Maritza Chinchilla told the Tribune. “He would always help us, and teach us responsibility and respect.”

Bryana Pacheco, 14, also thought Villalobos’ termination is ridiculous.

“He’s like my favorite person out of the whole staff,” she said. “I hope I can follow in his footsteps one day.”

School officials called the police on the roughly 50 students protesting at the school around 8 a.m., and alleged the students were becoming violent and refused to go to class. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to find the kids were relatively peaceful and said they headed back to class without issue.

Villalobos said he did not play a role in the protest.

“The kids took it upon themselves to do everything,” he said. “I can’t help how they feel.”

He said he was touched by their support.

“It’s just crazy, I didn’t think I was this loved by my kids,” Villalobos said. “It feels really, really good, but at the same time, I feel so bad I can’t be there for them.”