SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, Calif. -- A San Juan Bautista high school teacher has been suspended with pay following a controversy involving a Cinco De Mayo pinata.

Some female students at Anzar High School said they were offended by the pinata -- calling it reverse racism -- because it was white and had blond hair.

The teacher, Jaime Montoya, said he simply bought the pinata for a celebration and had no idea it would cause such a controversy.

Montoya has been suspended through the end of the week.

District officials said the suspension is not because of the pinata, but because of a letter Monotya wrote defending himself, which he distributed to students without permission from the school.