[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 68 (Friday, May 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN MEMORY OF PAULETTE COPELAND

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 19, 2005

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and 
celebrate the life of my constituent Ms. Paulette Copeland, an 
outstanding educator, a committed labor leader, and an exemplary 
community activist who lost her battle with cancer May 16, at the age 
of 61. Ms. Copeland made numerous and profound contributions to the 
lives of Milwaukee residents. Her death is a loss for the entire 
community.
  A native of Milwaukee and graduate of the Milwaukee Public Schools, 
Ms. Copeland was devoted to public education. The impact of her 
commitment is apparent in every comer of this city. As an educator in 
the Milwaukee Public Schools for 30 years, Ms. Copeland taught hundreds 
of children. She was widely recognized as an advocate for children, and 
was especially devoted to serving children with special needs. She 
believed deeply that every child could learn, and strove, every day, to 
find teaching methods that would speak to the needs of each child she 
encountered.
  Not only a gifted and brilliant teacher, Ms. Copeland was also a 
noted community leader and civil rights activist. As the first African-
American President of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association 
(MTEA), she led with a gentle but insistent style. Under her guidance, 
MTEA's agenda came to reflect more deeply the concerns and needs of the 
African-American community. As a member of the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Ms. Copeland led an effort 
to reduce suspensions within MPS by offering cultural sensitivity 
training to teachers and other staff.
  Working with others from around the country, Ms. Copeland 
participated in the successful struggle to designate Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr.'s birthday a national holiday. In Milwaukee, she helped found 
a writing contest for elementary, middle and high school students, 
which has become a cornerstone of local King Day celebrations. More 
recently, she served as chairperson of the Women in the NAACP 
Committee, reactivating this group even while she battled cancer.
  Ms. Copeland was also a devoted wife, mother and sister, and my 
thoughts and prayers go out to her loving family. We will all miss her 
wit and wisdom, and her commitment to the Milwaukee's children. Her 
life and work honor our community.

                          ____________________