A Sevier County teacher found himself on the wrong side of the law after an altercation erupted at a high school football game in Unicoi County. Brandon Cory Burns, 44, is now facing assault charges following the incident, which occurred after the Unicoi County High School and Gatlinburg-Pittman High School game on Friday night. As reported by WVLT, Burns, besides being a teacher, is also the parent of a Gatlinburg-Pittman player.
According to the Unicoi County Sheriff's Office, Burns is accused of crossing the football field and assaulting at least two individuals after players had finished shaking hands post-game. A Gatlinburg-Pittman player and another person reportedly intervened, attempting to pull Burns away from the situation. In a statement obtained by NewsTalk987, Tony Ogle, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for Sevier County Schools, confirmed Burns' suspension from work and ban from future sporting events.
Further details released by the Unicoi County Schools mentioned that no players or coaches from either team were directly involved in the incident. The situation apparently began with audience members and subsequently spilled onto the field. In efforts to clarify the events, UCHS Principal Chris Bogart expressed in a Facebook post, as reported by WBIR, "The incident started with fans after the teams had shook hands and spilled over onto the field."
Following his arrest, Burns was released on a $2,000 bond and is slated to appear in court on September 15. The communities and school leaders have publicly stressed the importance of setting positive examples for students, and the unfortunate incident has led to a regionwide discourse on sportsmanship and adult behavior at youth sporting events. "These are high school kids playing a game. Adults need to set the example for our students when it comes to how we conduct ourselves," Chris Bogart further elaborated in the post on Facebook, according to WBIR.
