New and returning Guilford County school board members take oath of office

New and returning Guilford County school board members were sworn in Tuesday evening.

The meeting began with a recognition of Michael Logan, who will be leaving his post as the representative for District 3.

Logan fought for a seat on the board for months, though members repeatedly voted against him citing concerns about racism and bigotry. He ended up serving for a little over a year, but lost in the November election. 

Logan thanked his colleagues for working with him, but said he deserved more respect than he was given. 

“There are some board members, I wish they had been politer, nicer," he said. "I was drug through the mud. I was accused of being a racially gender-advantaged human being.”

He also told David Coates, who will be taking his place, that he plans to run for the seat again in the next election. 

Coates previously served as legal counsel for a school board in New Jersey for nearly 40 years. After being sworn in, he gave his first comments as a sitting board member. 

"A quality education for each of the individual children who attend Guilford County Schools is our pole star," Coates said. "Polaris, the pole star, guided ships’ captains to safe harbors in days long gone. Our students’ safe harbor is a quality education that meets their needs and disparate aspirations.” 

Returning board members T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, Deborah Napper and Bettye Jenkins were also sworn in. 

The board voted to retain Jenkins as vice chair, and Deena Hayes, who has served on the board since 2002, as chairperson. 

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.