[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14450-H14451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PAULETTE MARIE McFARLAND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, we have lost Paulette Marie McFarland, 58, 
who was a trailblazer, an innovator in early childhood development, 
dying of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, at her home in 
Chatsworth, California.
  She was born Paulette Marie Mahan in Bluefield, West Virginia, on 
August 12, 1949. She received her bachelor's in early childhood 
education from Hampton University in Newport News, Virginia, and her 
master's in education from Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles, 
California.
  Paulette taught in the Los Angeles Unified School System for 30 years 
and spent the majority of her tenure at Van Nuys Elementary. She 
received many accolades during her career, which included Teacher of 
the Year for her school region. Paulette served as a Master Teacher for 
student teachers for Cal State University, Northridge and University of 
California, Los Angeles. She participated in the Bilingual Teacher 
Classroom Program and reviewed the latest research in education

[[Page H14451]]

and applied that knowledge to her teaching strategies.
  She always admired educators and their ability to create challenging 
and novel ways to encourage students in learning. As a bilingual 
teacher, she strove to make education an exciting, joyful, and 
motivational tool. She was one who is able to motivate and challenge 
students in a positive and stimulating manner where students are 
encouraged to reach their potential and value their own self-worth. She 
was that person. Most importantly, she was an outstanding teacher, and 
she was one who loved and enjoyed teaching.
  Paulette believed some of the major challenges today are low 
achievers, child and drug abuse, gangs, and development learning 
disabilities. And she promoted the importance of the individual 
increase in parental involvement providing parent education, smaller 
classes, and tutoring programs as possible solutions.
  Paulette was not only committed to her students and her family, but 
the community at large. For many years, she served on the planning 
committee for the NAACP Image Awards. She was an active fund-raiser for 
the Chrysalis Homeless Center, the United Negro College Fund, and other 
charitable organizations. She participated in the Literacy Campaign for 
the American Broadcasting Company, and volunteered in food and clothing 
drives.
  For the last 2 years, Paulette served as scholarship chairperson for 
the San Diego African American Alumni Association, and with her 
husband, Roland, served as president for 4 years. She secured funding 
for more than 100 students, making it possible for them to pursue a 
college education.
  On December 4, 1982, Paulette married Roland McFarland, vice 
president for broadcast standards and practices at Fox Broadcasting 
Company, at Hollywood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, California.
  Her memory lives on through her beloved husband, his children, Curtis 
McFarland and Roslyn Daniels; mother, Odessa Mahan; father, David 
Mahan; sisters Beverly Cummings and Margo Mahan; brother, Garner Mahan, 
and many cherished grandchildren, family, and a host of friends. May 
she, indeed, rest in peace.

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