What Is the Horry County Schools Security Lawsuit?

The Horry County Schools security lawsuit, filed by former school safety and security coordinator David Beaty against the district and board member Howard Barnard, was dismissed with prejudice on July 30, 2025. Circuit Judge Benjamin Culbertson ruled that the defendants were immune under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act and that Beaty had not shown false statements sufficient to support his defamation claims.¹

What Triggered the Suit

On February 6, 2024, a student brought a handgun with a loaded magazine onto the campus of Myrtle Beach Middle School. A school resource officer found the weapon and detained the student before anyone was hurt.²¹³

At a March 11, 2024 board meeting that Beaty’s complaint later called “heated,” Barnard moved for a public vote of no confidence in district security staff. The board passed it 8-3.¹ Beaty would later allege the vote was not on the meeting’s agenda and that no mechanism for it existed in board policy.³

How Beaty Was Pushed Out

Three days after the no-confidence vote, then-Superintendent Rick Maxey and another district official met with Beaty. In a letter sent the next day, Maxey wrote that the Board of Education had directed him to tell Beaty he could resign, retire, or face termination by March 18, 2024. Beaty refused, replying that he had received no “explanation or justification for this adverse employment action.”⁴

The board did not vote to terminate him at its next two meetings. On March 27, 2024, Maxey instead placed Beaty on paid administrative leave with full benefits until further notice.⁴ Beaty stayed on leave until his annual contract expired June 30, 2024. He later applied for a recreated version of his former position under a different title but was not hired.³

What Beaty Claimed

Beaty filed suit on March 13, 2025, in Horry County Common Pleas Court against Horry County Schools and Howard Barnard individually, bringing claims for tortious interference with prospective contractual relations and defamation. He sought a jury trial and both actual and punitive damages.⁵

The complaint built on three core allegations. First, that Barnard falsely held Beaty responsible for the Myrtle Beach Middle School breach, when Beaty’s role was to ensure existing security protocols were implemented across the district rather than to set policy or install equipment, and building-level administrators had autonomy over daily search procedures at their schools. Second, that Barnard orchestrated the March 11 no-confidence vote and tipped off local media beforehand “to ensure a broad audience for his theatrical action,” in violation of board governing policies and the code of conduct. Third, that Maxey had acknowledged Beaty had done nothing wrong but said he was under pressure from board members to fire Beaty or face termination himself. Beaty said he suffered reputational loss, embarrassment, humiliation, and mental anguish.⁶

The district declined to comment, citing pending litigation.⁵

How the Court Ruled

At a virtual hearing on July 30, 2025, Judge Culbertson dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning Beaty cannot refile the same claims.¹

The ruling rested on two grounds. The court held that the defendants’ actions fell within the scope of the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, which provides immunity for government employees acting in their official capacity. Judge Culbertson found that Barnard’s communications with the media about the board’s vote and his advocacy for security changes were part of his duties as a board member. The court also found no evidence of false statements sufficient to support the defamation claims.¹

Beaty’s attorney, Paul Porter, said after the ruling that his team was waiting on the judge’s formal written order before deciding on next steps.¹ No appeal or refiling has been publicly reported.

Where the Other Named People Stand

Superintendent Rick Maxey, who delivered the ultimatum to Beaty, left the district months after the incident. On April 29, 2024, the board voted unanimously to end his contract early. Maxey described the move as an “amicable separation” with no severance package and said he was retiring to live near family. His last day was June 30, 2024, the same day Beaty’s contract expired.⁷ Dr. Eddie Ingram served as interim superintendent beginning July 1, 2024.⁸ Clifford Jones took over as permanent superintendent on February 3, 2025.⁹

Howard Barnard resigned from the school board on April 1, 2026, citing health concerns, and passed away shortly afterward. He had joined the board in November 2020 after two terms on the Horry County Council and a career as a fighter pilot and colonel in the U.S. Air Force.¹⁰¹¹