Gainesville High School files lawsuit to block player suspensions from game fight

Gainesville High School is suing the Georgia High School Association to block the suspensions of more than 30 players after a brawl broke out at a Friday football game.

According to the lawsuit, which follows the GHSA only reversing suspensions for four players, Gainesville High School accuses GHSA of taking “no action to intervene to protect Gainesville High School’s players from the violent attack” in Brunswick over the weekend.

The lawsuit alleges that Brunswick High team members “had punched Gainesville High School’s players on at least our previous occasions” that night without any action taken to penalize them or protect the student victims.

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Those incidents culminated in a brawl on the field after a Brunswick player “violently ripped off the helmets” of two Gainesville students and punched one in the face as another Brunswick student “ran from approximately 40 yards away and blindsided a helmetless” player from the other team, knocking them to the ground.

Still, the “Defendant’s officials had yet to intervene and Brunswick High School’s players stormed the field,” the lawsuit says.

In a series of hearings on Monday and Tuesday, players from both Brunswick High School and Gainesville High School were suspended from playing, with 38 initially blocked from Gainesville’s team.

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After the fight was stopped, GHSA officials ejected two players from the Brunswick High team, none were ejected from Gainesville’s, according to the lawsuit.

A GHSA official had the Gainesville High and Brunswick High coaches identify the players who had left the team box and get on the field during the altercation after the game.

Then, GHSA had 39 Gainesville players ejected due to conduct violations.

During an appeals hearing on Tuesday, four players from Gainesville were successfully reinstated, but team officials said they wanted more reversals and were considering legal action.

That legal action has now been taken, with the Gainesville City School District suing GHSA on the high school’s behalf.

Gainesville school officials are suing the GHSA to block the suspensions because rules about sportsmanship, which governed the suspension decisions, “fail to recognize self-defense” as a reason for conduct.

As a result, the team is seeking the reinstatement of its players to allow their participation in an upcoming quarter-final playoff game.

The game in question is scheduled for Friday against Langston Hughes High School, the top team in the division.

Channel 2 Action News has requested a response from the GHSA about the lawsuit and is waiting for a response.

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