HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – Horry County Schools is close to settling a civil lawsuit alleging that a special education teacher sexually abused a student.
Documents filed Tuesday asked a judge to approve a settlement between the student’s family and the school district.
The student’s parents filed a lawsuit in May 2023 alleging that their son’s teacher, Rachel Gray, sexually abused him while she was his special education teacher at Socastee High School.
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Gray was never charged in the case because the family did not want to press criminal charges and Horry County police dropped the case. Gray eventually resigned from the county in April 2023.
The lawsuit accuses the school district of gross negligence and recklessness and of violating its duty to protect students.
According to the documents, the family and school district agreed to a $125,000 settlement, which will be funded by the South Carolina Insurance Reserve Fund.
As part of the agreement, all claims made in the lawsuit will be dismissed. In addition, the student will receive the settlement money on his 18th birthday, which is in October.
A hearing on the proposed settlement has not yet been scheduled.
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