Upstate teacher arrested for showing “inappropriate photos” to students

LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A Laurens County teacher has been arrested after he allegedly showed inappropriate photos to students last week.

According to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, on April 18, Joseph Griffin Beckham, then a teacher at Laurens High School, allegedly connected his personal cell phone to a classroom digital white board.

While scrolling through the camera roll on his phone, what the sheriff’s office described as an “inappropriate photo” was displayed on the screen in front of students.

“To protect the safety of students and staff, Beckham has been placed on Administrative Leave without pay immediately,” Laurens School District 55 said in a statement

Beckham has been arrested and he is charged with multiple counts of disseminating harmful material to minors and the sheriff’s office said more charges are pending as they are still investigating.

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