The Neshaminy School District investigation into contact between varsity basketball coach Jerry Devine and a referee at a boy’s game Tuesday night was continuing Thursday.
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The high school teacher will remain suspended with pay until the investigation is finished, officials said.
Devine appears to head-butt a referee during the tail end of Tuesday night’s game that saw the Redskins facing off against Pennsbury. The strike ended up knocking a referee to the ground and bringing national attention to Neshminy.
Sources close to Devine and the referee have both told LevittownNow.com the two men have consulted with attorneys. LevittownNow.com was not able to confirm whether either of the men had hired those attorneys to represent them.
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Several Neshaminy officials and staff members have said word is circulating that the district will ban Devine from coaching again for the school system.
The PIAA will have the final word on whether Devine will face a one-game suspension or be banned from coaching from sports they sanction in the future.
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“The coach is minimally disqualified from the next game and the school has been notified to report what additional corrective actions and penalties they will take in regard to this unacceptable act. The safety of players, officials and team personnel is our highest priority. Actions such as this will not be tolerated,” the PIAA said in a statement.
Devine could also face criminal charges for the incident. Pennsylvania law has a provision that marks alleged assaults against sports officials as a first-degree misdemeanor separate than a regular simple assault charge.
Middletown Chief of Police Joseph Bartorilla said the investigation remained active as of Thursday night.
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Devine, a special needs teacher, has a five-star rating on RateMyTeacher.com. He has taught in Bristol Borough and Philadelphia before coming to Neshaminy more than 15 years ago. Devine has coached basketball at the high school for the past 10 years.
On social media, former students spoke out to defend Devine’s in-class skills and his character.
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During their Wednesday night game without Devine, the Neshaminy boys lost to Pennridge, according to 69 News of Allentown.
“The athletic program at Neshaminy places the values of fair play and sportsmanlike conduct above all. We expect our coaches and staff to teach and uphold those principles, while acting in a professional manner at all times,” a Neshaminy statement issued Wednesday morning reads.
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Video of the incident was posted to Twitter shortly after the Tuesday evening game. A basketball niche website and LevittowNow.com obtained video of the incident, which quickly spread to outlets like ESPN, NBC News and The Los Angeles Times. A second angle of the incident was later posted by Levittown radio station WBCB, which broadcast the game on-air and online.
Click here to read our original story with exclusive interviews with students who were at the game
