Community

Carole Quan, Oakland Schools’ First Asian Superintendent, 79

On the day of her forced retirement, she paraded out of the district headquarters at 1025 Second Ave. with her family, friends and supportive colleagues. Defiantly, she carried a bottle of champagne that she had been given and climbed into a limousine that was waiting for her at the entrance of the building. Someone carried a boombox, which was blaring Johnny Paycheck’s famous country tune, “Take this job and shove it. I ain’t working here no more.”

Published

3 years ago

January 21, 2021

Kiki

Carole Quan

Carole Quan, a lifelong educator who serve as the first Asian superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), died of cancer on Jan. 2, 2021. She was 79.

Born on March 30, 1941, she attended Oakland schools as a child including Franklin Elementary, Roosevelt Middle and Oakland High school. Dedicating her life to educating Oakland children, she worked as a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent before her appointment as superintendent by the district’s Board of Education.

While a teacher she worked at Rockwood Elementary School (now CUES and Futures Elementary School) and Lincoln Elementary School.

“Quan represented the community with passion and dedication,” said current Supt. Kayla Johnson-Trammel in a statement. “She was always … there for our staff in every way and was a role model who was a pioneer Asian American education leader.”

Former OUSD principal and administrator Principal Denise Saddler called Quan an “educator’s educator.”

“She was the leader of everyone in the district and cared about all the students,” said Saddler. “No matter who you were, she made you feel like you were personally known to her.”

Quan’s mother, like her daughters Holly and Heidi, attended Oakland schools.

“I came from a strong female family, so my sister and I couldn’t have any (better) role models,” said her daughter Holly, a KCBS Radio reporter. “Through her success, Mama … taught us tenacity and elegance while fostering intense pride in our hometown. From the tailgate in the A’s and Raiders game to the duck on Lake Merritt, she was Oakland’s daughter to the end. “

Quan served as superintendent of the school district. 1997 to 1999. Her love of Oakland, including her solidarity and respect for the African American community and the then Black majority on the school board, put her on a collision course with Mayor Jerry Brown and State Senator Don Perata who orchestrated a campaign to push her out as part of their plan to remove the board and take over the school district.

Post reporter Ken Epstein and news services contributed to this story.

Kiki

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

11 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.