Parent raises alarm about loaded gun at Philip Simmons High; board approves security contract for event screening

A parent told the Berkeley County Board of Education on March 3 that a loaded gun was brought into Philip Simmons High School in December and remained inside the school for about four hours before a student alerted authorities.

Kristen Scanlon, who identified herself during public comment, said she had not received a response from district leaders 60 days after first raising the incident and urged the board to take steps to protect students and staff, including use of metal detectors at school entry points. "Protect these kids. Protect these teachers," Scanlon said.

At the same meeting the board approved a contract to supply security guards for extracurricular activities. The contract, RFP 7-17, was awarded to Metropolitan Security Services d/b/a Walden Security for an initial 1-year term valued at $80,000 with four one-year renewal options (potential five-year value $400,000); the superintendent may extend for two additional years at contract end.

District officials described the private security personnel as entry-screening staff who will operate weapon-screening equipment at events, not as replacements for sworn School Resource Officers. In committee-level discussion, administrators said the screeners will be positioned at event entrances and will call SROs if a screening or other concern requires law-enforcement intervention. "They're going to be for the weapon screeners at football games, so we don't put our staff in the position... to deal with when the screener goes off," a district representative said during the meeting.

What was said in public comment

Scanlon told the board she promised the principal at Philip Simmons High School she would continue to press the issue. She said a gun — which she described as loaded — remained in the school for about four hours and that she was "outraged" and "not willing to put any of [her] children's lives at risk." She asked why metal detectors previously used at a January meeting were not deployed at her son's school entrance and requested a response from the district.

Board and administration response

The transcript records Scanlon's public remarks and a later administration explanation of the security-contract role, but it does not record the board taking immediate action at the meeting specifically in response to Scanlon's comment. The RFP award was considered and approved on its own motion following committee recommendation; administrators said the contracted staff will serve as entry-screening support and will coordinate with SROs when a screener detects a concern.

Why this matters

Parent accounts of weapons on campus raise safety concerns for students and staff. The board-approved contract establishes a vendor-managed, paid screening presence at extracurricular events; the district said SROs and school administrators retain law-enforcement and disciplinary authority.

What’s next

Implementation details for the security contract (schedules, specific event coverage, training and coordination with SROs) were not specified in the public motions recorded at the meeting. The parent asked the board to follow up; the transcript records Scanlon saying she "look[s] forward to hearing from any of you after this night."