When Chris Wamble learned his English teacher was carpooling to work after having car trouble, he organized a fundraiser to pay for a new vehicle.

The Helena High School senior, 17, and five of his friends started a GoFundMe campaign with an initial goal of $8,500.

But the donations started rolling in and Wamble exceeded his goal, surpassing $10,200.

“I didn’t think it was going to get $10,000,” he told AL.com in a phone interview Friday.

“I didn’t think I was going to hit the goal. I thought $3,000, maybe. The whole city of Helena pretty much donated.”

Yet Jacob Huggins, a father of four and English teacher at Helena High School, won’t see a dime of the donations.

Shelby County education officials called Wamble’s mother and ordered the fundraiser be taken down, he told AL.com.

“They called my mom and they just basically said I had to take it down and I had to refund the money because it’s not ethical, or whatever,” Chris said.

“Because it’s a state law that a student or parent can’t give gift over $25 to a teacher.”

Helena High School did not have an issue with the fundraiser, the senior said.

Chris said he felt horrible that he couldn’t help Huggins but didn’t want to run afoul of the rules.

“It’s stupid that I can’t gift a teacher something,” he said, adding that he was unsure if Huggins would accept the generous gift. “I’m just not trying to get my teacher in trouble, so I’ll do what they say.”

Chris notified the fundraiser’s 299 donors that the effort was being shut down.

“Mr. Huggins is not able to accept the funds. They are being refunded. sorry, thank you for your donations anyways,” the fundraising page reads.