StarTribune: Retired 3M exec to run for St. Paul school board
Last update: May 12, 2009 – 12:52 AM
A retired 3M executive and lifelong St. Paul resident has announced that she is running for the St. Paul school board as an independent.
Jean O’Connell, a graduate of Central High School, said Monday that she is running because she feels like the school district needs to speed up both the rate at which it adapts and efforts to address the large achievement gap between white students and students of color.
As her daughters made their way through the St. Paul schools, “it became really clear to me that the rate of change in the school system just wasn’t fast enough for an individual kid,” she said. “They only have one chance.”
O’Connell, 56, worked for 34 years in community affairs, quality, supply chain and manufacturing positions at 3M. She helped the school district develop its strategic plan and was chairwoman of an advisory committee on the district’s restructuring process.
O’Connell decided to run as an independent in a city that favors DFL candidates because she thinks the system has become too political. She says she is “realistic” about her chances, but says that part of her goal in running is to encourage discussion about the candidates.
She is being endorsed by former St. Paul Mayor George Latimer. The DFL has endorsed incumbents John Brodrick, Tom Goldstein and Elona Street-Stewart. Republicans have endorsed candidates Richard Easton and John Krenik.
EMILY JOHNS
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