Ex-school boss to be offered teaching post

8/11/2004

Bedford Public Schools this morning will offer its former superintendent, Jim Goebel, a full-time teaching position in the district for the coming school year, school officials said yesterday.

Mr. Goebel, 62, said he likely will accept the position as a business teacher in Bedford High School.

"I still need two more years [of service] to receive my full retirement," the former superintendent said.

He will be paid $41,000, said Wes Berger, the district's assistant superintendent for human resources.

This spring, the Bedford Board of Education voted not to renew Mr. Goebel's superintendent's contract, which paid him $119,000 a year.

He has held the district's top job for three years.

However, a rarely invoked 1979 Michigan Supreme Court ruling provided the legal basis for Mr. Goebel to claim tenure in those subjects in which he was certified to teach. His salary was bumped to the fourth of Bedford's 12 salary steps in recognition of the three years Mr. Goebel has been with the district, Mr. Berger said.