No one ever said that life in the public office was easy, but Jean Quan can say it's been easier in city hall than in district headquarters. In the 12 years she'd spent as an Oakland Unified School District board member, Quan had pushed for a number of school reform initiatives and even become somewhat of a fixture on the national education stage; tapped by none other than former President Bill Clinton for a spot on a commission. Yet for all her influence and impact, Quan was ignored, even snubbed in local political circles. It wasn't until she ran and won a seat on Oakland's city council in 2002 that she began to gain the kind of audience she deserved.

"The work I did as a school board member was just as important but school boards ... they don't get much respect," Quan said. "Some of the same people that looked down on me as a school board member respect me as a city council member." Check out more of what Quan has been able to accomplish as a city council member with an education background in this month's cover story (“Come Together”). And lest you think, she's the only one who's gone from the school board to a broader political career, go back and read the Jan. 2006 cover story http://www.asbj.com/MainMenuCategory/Archive/2006/January/DemocracysFirstStepDoc467.aspx. Did you know Jimmy Carter started out as a school board member?

Naomi Dillon, Senior Editor