BOB HARDEN (center) with school board colleagues Lan Quoc Nguyen and Teri Rocco (GGUSD photo).

By Amberly Nguyen
Orange County Tribune

After 32 years as a trustee and several terms as board president of the Garden Grove Unified School District, Bob Harden announced at the GGUSD board meeting on June 2 that he will not seek reelection this.

Harden, who represents Trustee Area 4, was first elected to the board in 1994. His current term ends Dec. 11, 2026, concluding more than three decades of service to Garden Grove Unified.

HARDEN addressing a high school commencement (Tribune photo).

Outside his work as a trustee, Harden is a computer consultant with Harden Group LLC and previously served on the City of Garden Grove General Plan Advisory Committee.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in radio and television from California State University, Long Beach and has completed project management coursework at the University of California, Irvine.

Harden said his involvement in education began when his son started school in the district. Concerned about issues he was hearing from parents and students, he sought advice from then-Assemblyman Curt Pringle.

According to Harden, Pringle challenged him to decide whether he wanted to simply complain about the issues or become involved in addressing them.

After considering the question over the weekend, Harden said he committed himself to public service. “I picked up the phone and called him on Monday and said, ‘I’m in,’” Harden said.

Harden said that decision led him to run for, and win, a seat on the Garden Grove Unified Board of Education.
Harden said his decision to retire was influenced by both personal and district considerations.

“I just turned 70 years old and I have served on the board, I think, longer than anyone else in the history of the district,” Harden said. “But I think at this point in my life, it’s time to hand the baton to somebody else.”

Harden said he wanted the responsibility for future decisions to rest with whoever succeeds him.

“I think at the end of the day, rather than me making that decision and then being gone shortly thereafter,” he said. “The person who has to live with the consequences of that decision, good or bad, should probably be the person who makes the decision.”

During his time on the board, Harden said the district raised expectations for students, increased accountability and expanded educational opportunities for struggling learners. He also noted that identifying learning challenges in the early grades allows schools to provide support before students fall behind.

Board Vice President Lan Nguyen, a practicing attorney who was first elected to the board in 2002, said he worked alongside Harden for 24 years and described him as a humble and thoughtful leader who focused on benefiting students.
“His humbleness and focus on the students made the whole difference in the outcome in the last 30 years or so,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen said Harden was seen as someone who worked collaboratively with fellow trustees and often sought common ground in decision-making. He said Harden emphasized teamwork and maintained strong working relationships across the board.

According to Nguyen, Harden also supported language and cultural resources for Vietnamese families and other student groups in the district. He said Harden remained open to different viewpoints and focused on benefiting the community as a whole.

Trustee Teri Rocco, a retired GGUSD educator who was elected to the board in 2016, also said his leadership was student-focused and collaborative.

“I see him as a true leader and a mentor for me,” Rocco said. “He’s remained focused on one thing above anything else, and that’s student success.”

Rocco said Harden consistently approached board decisions by considering what would best serve students and families. She described him as committed, calm and a steady presence for his community.

“His ability to work collaboratively … he’s kind of been a unifying force on our board,” Rocco said.

Rocco also pointed to Harden’s support for immigrant families. She recalled Harden publicly stating that immigration enforcement agents should not be present on school campuses.

“He was the first to say there’s no place for immigration enforcement agents in our schools,” Rocco said. “For him to take a stand like that … I really respect him for that.”

During his time on the board, Harden supported bond measures that funded modernization projects throughout the district. He also helped lead the district through the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on maintaining administrative stability, implementing distance learning and coordinating a safe reopening plan for schools. Aside from board meetings, Harden remained highly active in the district.

Rocco said he regularly attended classroom visits, assemblies, athletic events, performances, family nights and graduation ceremonies at Garden Grove high schools. Harden’s habit of joining students for photos at graduations, Rocco said, reflected his approachable nature and connection to the community.

As the district prepares for a leadership transition, Rocco said Harden’s influence will continue beyond his tenure on the board.

“Bob’s legacy is one of service, stability and unwavering commitment to children and families in our district,” she said.
Reflecting on his years of service, Harden said his greatest pride was seeing students become the first in their families to attend college and pursue professional careers after high school.

“I think my legacy is hanging on lamp posts all around town every fall,” Harden said, referring to the district’s banners recognizing top graduating students and the colleges they will attend.

“There are kids who are going to be successful in life and have professional careers that they wouldn’t have had without the Garden Grove school district. And I was part of that.”

When asked what advice he would offer future trustees, Harden said board members should listen carefully, avoid rushing to judgment and remain open to all perspectives.

“They need to represent the community, the parents, the taxpayers and the students,” Harden said.

While future trustees will continue the work Harden has established, both Rocco and Nguyen said Harden’s impact on students, families and the district will remain an integral part of his legacy.