Lexington-Richland School District 5 Board Chair Jan Hammond acknowledged the situation surrounding Chapin High School baseball coach Scott McLeod and the accusations of emotional and verbal abuse made against him earlier this month following the board’s Aug. 22 meeting.

She told the Chronicle that the issue regarding McLeod was presented to Superintendent Akil Ross, the first acknowledgement on the part of the district that it is looking into the accusations. She reiterated the board’s position of not commenting on a personnel matter and that Ross would address those concerns with McLeod as part of the process.

Otherwise, the recent meeting offered no new updates regarding the allegations.

At the previous meeting on Aug. 8, three parents and a former player laid out their concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting. Each expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the players were allegedly treated by McLeod during the 2022 season.

A representative for the group told the Chronicle that it also presented the board with a detailed binder and PowerPoint, including medical documents and letters from other parents about McLeod. The district has not yet confirmed to the Chronicle if it received these materials.

The Chronicle last week submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to District 5 regarding any meetings, discussions or actions taken regarding McLeod. As of press time, the Chronicle has not received a response.

After going into more than an hour of executive session at the beginning of the meeting, the board did not list any personnel issues among what was discussed behind closed doors. When the public was allowed to make three-minute presentations to the board, the only speaker during the allotted time implored the board to reinstate its policy for admission of foreign exchange students, a motion that passed unanimously.

Since the allegations were made against McLeod, supporters for both the head coach and those making the accusations have come forward. Meanwhile, the head coach has not responded to any of the Chronicle’s multiple requests for an interview to answer the parents’ claims.

McLeod has coached at Chapin for two and a half decades, leading the baseball program to five state title series and four state championships, most recently in 2018.