I just finished my first term back in the classroom after my time in Congress, and my kids just wrapped up their school year, so I've been thinking again about the importance of teaching and learning.
In many ways, serving in elected office is pretty similar to being a professor.
I learned how to question (sometimes incompetent) witnesses in hearings because as a teacher, I had learned how to get an answer out of hungover students who hadn't done the reading. I had also learned that if you only call on the highest, loudest hands, you'll only ever hear from a certain subset of people.
If elected officials are doing the job right, they should be constantly learning—from colleagues, experts, stakeholders, and everyday people—about the challenges communities face and possible solutions. And, they should be teaching: bringing people together, building political support, and keeping constituents up to date about what's happening in government.
That's the kind of mindset I'll bring to my work as governor. I'm going to be in communities, touring, listening, and learning. I want to bring all voices to the table to tackle California's biggest challenges.
Happy summer!
Katie
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