Horry school security leader asked to resign. Request came after gun brought to school

Horry County Schools’ security coordinator has been placed on administrative leave, according to information from the district.

The decision came about a month after an incident at Myrtle Beach Middle School where a student managed to bring a gun in a see-through bag into the school. The incident prompted the school district to implement further security measures.

In addition, the district for the past week has been dealing with multiple bomb threats at one of its largest high schools, Carolina Forest, requiring multiple responses from Horry County Police.

David Beaty, coordinator of safety and security for the district, received a letter March 15 from Superintendent Rick Maxey saying that the school board “would like a letter of resignation, retirement announcement or termination” by March 18. The letter was a follow up from a conversation the two apparently had on March 14. In the letter, Maxey said since Beaty had informed him that he would not resign, Maxey would have to proceed with termination on March 18.

Beaty had replied to Maxey on March 15 saying that he would not resign but would be open to other solutions. Beaty said in his letter, “My family obligations, among other reasons, prevents me from resigning my position especially given the fact that I have not been provided any type of explanation or justification for this adverse employment action.”

In a follow up letter from Maxey on March 27, Beaty was told that the board did not take action during its meetings on March 18 and 25 to terminate his employment. However, he would be placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice.

A number for Beaty could not be located.

Beaty began working for the district in 2012. His annual salary is $119,733 a year.

It is unclear what led to Beaty being placed on administrative leave. However, on March 11, the school board took a no-confidence vote on Horry County Schools’ security measures.

According to documents received from the district, his performance evaluations for 2022 and 2023 indicated he met his job duties.

Student brings gun to school in see-through bag

The Myrtle Beach Middle School student who brought a gun and ammunition into the school on Feb. 6 did so in a see-through bag, went through a metal detector and showed it to other students before the school realized there was a gun in the building, according to an email from Maxey.

Maxey’s email said the school did a random search process that morning, which is used through the district, but the student’s bag was not chosen and he made it through the metal detector.

The student is facing criminal charges and expulsion.

The school learned about the firearm after a student found a bullet in the bathroom and reported it to administration.

On Feb. 29, the school board said the district is looking into weapons detection systems and would try to add at least one additional security staff member at every middle and high school.

Horry high school receives threats

Carolina Forest High School has received several bomb threats since last week, causing the school to be evacuated at one point and police to rush to the school when it was believed there was an active shooter incident.

The calls have all been determined to be hoax calls and no one was injured. Three people, including two students, have been charged with making at least two of the seven calls received.

Police remained at the school throughout the day and police were also placed at the school at night.