A Berkshire High School coach has been embroiled in controversy after being accused of sending inappropriate messages to a teenage student. Nick Burzanko, who works as an assistant sports coordinator, baseball coach, and assistant football coach for the Berkshire Schools Athletics, faces allegations of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, as reported by Geauga Maple Leaf. Burzanko, 35, from Middlefield, was charged with a fifth-degree felony following the emergence of the purported Snapchat scandal involving a 17-year-old student.
According to court documents reported by Cleveland 19, the coach is said to have admitted to sending the photo despite attempting to cover up the offensive parts. His governance of what should remain private failed miserably, exposing more than just skin—the imagery, a cruel revelation of both flesh and a pornographic flick playing unassumingly in the background. Standing in stark contrast to the acclaim Burzanko once garnered, being named CVC Valley Division Baseball Coach of the Year earlier in the year betrays a fall from grace that is held up to scrutiny and to the adjudicating eyes of the law and public morals.
The allegations and subsequent arrests have resulted in various measures by various entities. Burzanko was arraigned in Chardon Municipal Court, where retired Willoughby Municipal Court Judge Harry Field set a personal recognizance bond, as documented by Geauga Maple Leaf. Notably, this occurred on the cusp of his team's first playoff game, juxtaposing what should have been a moment of aspirational team spirit and the disheartening news of the coach's conduct.
The Berkshire Local School District took immediate action against Burzanko, initiating a compulsory leave and banning further contact with students amid the ongoing investigation led by the Geauga County Sheriff's Department. With the case set to be heard on November 13 for a preliminary hearing, the community awaits the resolution of accusations that pierce the sanctity of a position of trust inherent within the framework of educational institutions.
