Police, Johnson School District investigate damage to Paintsville baseball field

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

PAINTSVILLE — Vandalism at the Paintsville High School baseball field has prompted an investigation by local authorities and the Johnson County School District.

Johnson County School Superintendent Thom Cochran said that there were “JC” signs spray painted and district runner-up medallions belonging to members of the Johnson Central High School baseball team left on the Paintsville field, which is home to the 57th District champion Paintsville Tigers.

“This incident is being fully investigated by both the local police department and our school administration,” Cochran said in a prepared statement posted on the district’s Facebook page Monday night. “This type of behavior is not condoned, and it will not be tolerated by the Johnson Central High School Baseball Coaching Staff, the administration of Johnson Central High School, nor myself.”

Cochran said school officials will be “fully cooperating with authorities to make sure this matter is handled correctly.”

“It is always the expectation of this school system that all students, especially students of extracurricular activities, maintain a respectful standard of behavior and represent their school and team in the highest possible manner,” Cochran said.

Cochran said that while “this type of behavior is frustrating, inexcusable, and must be dealt with, “I urge each person who is impacted by this situation to think before reacting.”

“Let’s not forget, we are dealing with kids…and kids make poor decisions, kids don’t think before acting, kids often do not see beyond themselves…it is our responsibility as parents, as a school, and as a greater community to help our kids, to model and guide our kids, to teach our kids the right way, even when they do mess up-because they will,” Cochran said.

Cochran said he is “deeply disappointed in the fact that Paintsville’s field was damaged and that anyone associated with Johnson County Schools was responsible.”

“We will work to make sure that situation is rectified and that all involved will learn from their mistakes,” Cochran said. “Again, I want to remind you and ask you to offer grace whenever possible. Hopefully, we can grow from this unfortunate situation. We are all Eastern Kentuckians, we are all from Johnson County, and we should do all we can to teach our students to rise above.”