Sophia Sousa

News Writer

The Guilford County School Board had a vacant seat for months after Pat Tillman announced his resignation, and the board disputed who should fill it between William “Bill” Goebel and Michael Logan. The board and county Republican party leadership didn’t see eye to eye. Goebel is a devoted activist for Guilford County District 3 and has emphasized the significance of equal opportunities in schools. Michael Logan, who lives in District 3, was nominated by the Republican party. The North Carolina General Assembly modified appointment laws to help Republicans get Logan into the seat.

However, the board members voted 6-2 to deny Logan. A report for Fox 8 News by Steve Doyle and Dolan Reynolds explains that the existing board rejected Logan over comments they called “divisive” and his harsh social media posts.

At a Guilford County school meeting on April 4, 2023, Logan stated, “If you were conducting business, I would be sitting in that chair,” and was later seen being escorted out of the building with his hands behind his back. Goebel proceeded to take the vacant seat and was sworn in immediately. While everything seemed settled, that began to change in June when school board attorney Jill Wilson discovered a loophole.

According to Logan, political powers kept him from being seated, and he alleged that Goebel was secretly meeting with board members before he was appointed. Board members Linda Welborn and Crissy Pratt, who both voted for Logan, said that the other board members eluded the obligations for allowing someone to fill the vacant seat. Logan, Pratt, and Welborn then filed a lawsuit against the board, ordering the Guilford County School Board to remove Goebel and seat Logan in his place. According to Fox 8 reporter Emily Mikkelsen, the lawsuit claims there were phone calls between School Board Chairwoman Deena Hayes-Greene and other democrats on the board to select Goebel.

According to Logan, those conversations were illegitimate attempts to avoid conducting business in the public meeting that would take place weeks later. Both Pratt and Welborn argue they had no idea that the board would get a chance to choose its nominee or contribute to the decision-making. After filing the lawsuit, Logan wrote to the Greensboro News & Record, stating, “The voters of District 3 have been denied representation for five months. They now have improper representation from a loophole and back-door politics involving Bill Goebel.”

In response to Logan trying to remove him, Goebel said in an email to Fox 8, “It takes away focus from Keeping The Main Thing The Main Thing. The Main Thing is working for the improvement of our schools for the students and parents of not only My District 3 but the entire Guilford County School System” (capitalizations in original). Goebel had been fighting the allegations against him, but on Sept. 19, he announced his resignation. Michael Logan was sworn in on the same day.

Although he had resigned, Goebel stated, “I am certain the legislature has overstepped its legal authority in shortening my term in my office.” As WFMY News 2 reported, Goebel remains hopeful that he will run again for chair of the school board and wishes his best to the board as they make important decisions in the coming months.