School board candidate bows out of race

Paul B. Johnson, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·3 min read

May 20—GUILFORD COUNTY — A man who was to be part of a slate of candidates running for the Guilford County Board of Education because of problems they see with the direction of the schools won't be on the general election ballot this fall.

Robert Millican, a construction company owner, planned to run as an unaffiliated candidate in District 8, a Greensboro district served now by Democrat Deena Hayes, the board's current chairwoman. But to get on the ballot, Millican needed to collect at least 1,670 signatures from voters in District 8 by this past Tuesday to qualify for the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

Millican informed the Guilford County Board of Elections that he wouldn't secure enough signatures, county Elections Director Charlie Collicutt told The High Point Enterprise.

"We heard from Mr. Millican, and he told us that he was not going to have time with the deadline, which was noon Tuesday, to get his numbers. He is short of the signatures needed," Collicutt said.

Millican couldn't be reached for comment Thursday by The Enterprise.

Hayes is left unopposed on the ballot for the District 8 seat, all but assuring her reelection to another four-year term.

The slate of candidates critical of the direction of Guilford County Schools announced their intentions this past December to run candidates for all five school board seats before voters in this year's election.

The slate is running under the banner of New Vision, New Direction, and is associated with Take Back Our Schools-GCS, whose members for the past year have raised questions and criticism with policies such as Guilford County Schools' former COVID-19 mask mandate, how race and history are addressed in classes, and what they see as lack of serious attention to school security.

The four other members of the slate of candidates will appear on the fall general election ballot:

—Republican challenger Tim Andrew is running in District 6 against first-term Democratic school board member Khem Irby. The district covers north High Point and southwestern Guilford County. Andrew won his primary race this week, while Irby was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

—Republican Crissy Pratt and Democrat Amanda Cook will face off in District 2, which covers western and northwestern High Point. Pratt won her primary race while Cook didn't have a primary challenger. The district currently is served by Republican school board member Anita Sharpe, who isn't seeking reelection.

—Republican school board member Linda Welborn, the only incumbent in the slate of candidates, is running in District 4 against Democratic challenger Deon Clark. The district covers parts of Greensboro and Guilford County. Welborn has 10 years of board service.

—Republican Demetria Carter and Democratic Alan Sherouse are running in the countywide at-large contest. The seat currently is held by Democrat and board vice chairwoman Winston McGregor, who isn't seeking reelection.

There were no school board primaries in the District 4 and at-large races.

Democrats hold a 6-3 majority on the school board.

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul