A teacher who was suspended for allowing her class to write 'get well soon ' letters to a convicted police killer claims the children wanted to send notes to him . Marilyn Zuniga sparked outrage for allowing her third grade class in Orange , New Jersey , to pen letters to murderer Mumia Abu-Jamal , after he collapsed in the bathroom of the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy . Abu-Jamal , 60 , is serving a life sentence in prison after he shot Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in cold blood in 1981 . Marilyn Zuniga apologised after she allowed her students to write to convicted police killer Mumia Abu-Jamal after he became ill while serving a life sentence in prison , but said the students wanted to write to him . Ms Zuniga has apologised for publicising the efforts of her pupils online , but said they had wanted to write to Abu-Jamal , according to philly.com . Both her pupils and high school students in the Philadelphia Student Union wrote to the killer . Ms Zuniga spoke at the Orange school board after she was suspended from her position while officials investigate . She explained that she had previously asked her class to consider Abu-Jamal 's quote 'So long as one just person is silenced , there is no justice . ' She said when she told students the former Black Panther was ill , they had asked to write to him in prison . Ms Zuniga told the board she had made a mistake and was prepared to resign rather than be fired , to prevent damage to her career . Mumia 's supporters say photos of the killer eleased this week by his wife show how ill and frail he is . Third graders in Orange , New Jersey , and high school students in the Philadelphia Student Union sent Mumia Abu-Jamal letters wishing him well after he was hospitalized last week . The letters caused many to criticize the actions of the teacher . Richard Costello , political coordinator for the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police , said the letters set a dangerous example . He previously told Fox News : ' I think its both alarming and outrageous that any teacher would use a group of innocent seven-year-olds to promote a twisted agenda glorifying murder , glorifying hatred and glorifying violence , ' Abu Jamal was sentenced to life in prison after he shot Mr Faulkner in the back and then , once he was dead , in between the eyes . Abu-Jamal shot dead Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981 , shooting him at first in the back . His conviction was upheld through years of appeals , but he has gained international support for his claim that he 's the victim of a racist justice system . Abu-Jamal was originally sentenced to death for the killing , but this was overturned in 2012 . The official reason the convicted killer was hospitalized has not been released . However reports say he was suffering high blood sugar levels which may be linked to diabetes . The killer 's supporters include celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg , and many hail him as a revolutionary . Johanna Fernandez , a professor of history at Baruch College who delivered the letters said they had made Abu-Jamal 'smile ' and 'chuckle . '
Mumia Abu-Jamal was murdered Philadelphia police officer in 1981 . He collapsed in prison earlier this month and was taken to hospital . Marilyn Zuniga allowed her third grade pupils to write to killer Abu-Jamal . Score: 6