The seven Democratic members of the Guilford County Board of Education just got a very unwelcome notice right as they were winding down for an enjoyable summer vacation.

The members were all served court papers informing them that they are being sued.

The lawsuit – brought by the board’s two Republican members over the board’s seating of Bill Goebel in the District 3 seat – is expected to be an involved process that will start very soon.

Since the suit was filed against the board members as individuals, their presence is likely required and it could ruin some vacation plans.

The case, which is expected to be heard by an out-of-county judge due to the positions and connections of the parties involved, is a very complicated matter which involves questions about the proper way to fill school board seats, a state law that changed in the middle of the selection process, the legitimacy of actions taken in private over the phone by a majority of the board, and numerous other questions regarding the North Carolina Open Meetings Law.

School officials who are not on the board may also have to testify.

In early April when six Democratic school board members suddenly named Goebel to the District 3 seat rather than the teacher Michael Logan, the pick of the local Republican Party, they no doubt expected to generate a lawsuit but they may not have considered the timing.

According to one source, the first hearing of the case is likely to be an emergency hearing in early June and matters will proceed from there.

 

 

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