Harden Qualifies for PUSD Election

Scott Harden, candidate for the PUSD Board of Education in District 4, has qualified for candidacy in the November election.

Harden will square off against current board president Patrick Cahalan. On Sunday, Harden announced the endorsement of his candidacy by the Teamsters Local 911 labor union. 

“The Teamsters perform essential work in our PUSD schools,” said Harden. “And in this COVID-19 crisis, they’re on the front lines, working at our school sites to ensure that they are safe and ready for when we all return to our schools. They endorsed my opponent in 2015, but this time they agreed with me that I’m the best candidate to lead us to solve our district’s biggest challenges. I’m honored for their contribution to this campaign and for standing with me as we build a greater future for our schools and our communities.”

Harden has served multiple roles with Don Benito Elementary School’s PTA, including four elected terms as its PTA president.  He has also served on the Bungalow Heaven Landmark District board and has managed the Bungalow Heaven Neighborhood Watch program. Professionally, Harden is a change management consultant having worked with businesses and nonprofit organizations for over 10 years, both throughout the country and in Southern California. 

According to a release, Harden believes the PUSD school board should lead with a 10-year vision that provides unique, innovative, and equitable value to students of all backgrounds.

“Recent public school closures have left the community divided and uncertain about where we’re headed,” Harden said. “‘Status quo’ thinking can lead us along a path where continued declining enrollment, housing unaffordability, and a wary public are the real risk to the viability of our entire system. We can continue to react to the challenges just before us or we can take charge of the future of our district. There’s never been a better time to come together to build the future we want for our students. The COVID pandemic has shown how focused we all are for the future of education and we have a chance to reinvent how we educate our children, and how we fund new educational models.”