GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) – Guilford County Republicans have nominated Michael Logan, an auto tech teacher at Southern Guilford High School, to fill the coming opening on the county’s Board of Education.
Logan, 56, a teacher with Guilford County Schools since August 1997, would replace District 3 representative Pat Tillman, a Republican who was elected on Nov. 8 to serve on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
David Gleeson, chair of the Guilford County Republicans, confirmed Logan, who has a history of being an active participant at school board meetings, was chosen from two candidates to serve the remaining two years of Tillman’s term.
Gleeson stressed that this was a nomination that would not become official until Tillman submits his resignation and the school board holds a called meeting to ratify the choice. It’s unclear when Tillman might submit his formal resignation – he would be sworn in as a commissioner on Jan. 1 – and when the meeting might be called. Tillman will be sworn in next week on the board of commissioners.
“My desire is to work with my students to prepare for state exams and certifications in January since SGHS is a block school and this being an appointment, not an election,” Logan wrote in an email to WGHP. “We are in a new area where an educator is going straight from the classroom to school board. State law doesn’t allow for an educator to be on the board while employed by the school system. I would like to point out that I work in District 2 but live and will be appointed to District 3.”
Board Chair Deena Hayes did not respond immediately to an email seeking answers to those questions.
Hayes (District 8) and fellow incumbents Linda Welborn (District 4) and Khem Irby (District 6) were joined by newcomers Alan Sherouse (at-large) and Crissy Pratt (District 2) in being elected for 4-year terms. Representatives of Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 serve until 2024.
Logan says he sees as positives for GCS that there “are opportunities for a diverse area of education and pathways from middle colleges to academies.
“Negatives are an open area and may improve with the new administration [new Superintendent Whitney Oakley]. We have had a constant turnover and shifting within the previous administration [under former Superintendent Sharon Contreras].
“We have parents that have been speaking up, and it is my hope that we will have an administration that will not be fearful and retaliatory for employees willing to speak up. Any employee should have the ability to reach out to a board member with concerns or issues within the school system.”
Gleeson said the GOP followed state statute by considering only individuals who reside in District 3 and then having a vote by “folks who are members of the executive committee who live in District 3,” which he estimated to be about 25.
He said Logan has been “active in the county party for some time and is president of the group’s Men’s Club. He’s listed on the party directory as its board rep for District 3.
Logan said his goals are to develop “job opportunities for students that will lead to lifelong careers. We need an expansion of CTE areas for students at all high schools. Keeping tax dollars spent in our local economies. Practical and efficient use of monies that will provide safety and security for our students and staff.”
He has been an active voice in school board meetings, as was noted by Gleeson. Logan last year called for more school security after a student was shot and killed at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem. He asked the board to add more metal detectors and other precautions.
“We’ve lost one student at Mount Tabor,” Logan told the board at a meeting in September. “What if someone went in and just really started shooting, at that point metal detectors are important.”
Logan said he grew up in Greensboro, earned his automotive education at Guilford County Technical Community College and has taught automotive science to about 2,500 students. In July he received a raise to $61,250 for a 10-month contract, GCS said.
