[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S6014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NEA'S HONORING OF PAUL MANN

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in early July, when nearly 9,000 
educators are in Washington for the National Education Association's 
annual Representative Assembly, they will posthumously honor one of 
Iowa's most dedicated and respected teachers, Paul Mann. Lola Mann, 
Paul's wife of 38 years, will accept the Applegate-Dorros Award on 
behalf of her late husband at NEA's annual Human and Civil Rights 
Awards Dinner on July 2.
  The Applegate-Dorros Award is given each year to an individual who 
has made lasting contributions to the cause of international 
understanding, and who has encouraged young people to study the world 
and work for world peace. Over a long and distinguished career spanning 
nearly four decades as a teacher with the Des Moines public school 
system, Paul both lived and taught those ideals. He shaped the thinking 
of generations of students, and he was active on the national stage as 
a long-time leader of NEA's Midwest Peace and Justice Caucus.
  I do not believe that democracy is a spectator sport, and neither did 
Paul. As his wife Lola said, ``he felt strongly that he was placed on 
this earth for a purpose . . . that he was here to help make the world 
a better place.'' He challenged his colleagues and students alike to 
get involved in campaigns and in the broader political process. His own 
passion for politics and engagement was infectious.
  Paul stood up for social justice and the peaceful resolution of 
conflict. Just as Gandhi counseled that ``You must be the change you 
wish to see in the world,'' Paul lived a life that embodied the 
progressive ideals that he advocated.
  Paul Mann was born in Onawa, IA on March 12, 1947, graduated from 
Central Missouri State University in 1969, and earned a master's in 
public administration from Drake University in 1981. He began teaching 
in Des Moines in 1969 and was an energetic, beloved teacher right up 
until his sudden passing in September of 2006. At the time of his 
death, he was a teacher of world civilization and government at Central 
Academy, the magnet school for Des Moines' gifted and talented middle- 
and high-school students.
  As a teacher, Paul was a consummate professional who had a deep 
personal commitment to ensuring that every child receives a high-
quality public education. This commitment led to his activism and 
leadership within the Des Moines Education Association, including 8 
years as president. He served in a various leadership positions at the 
local, State and national levels within the National Education 
Association. He was also active in local and State politics.
  I have always appreciated what Lee Iacocca said about teachers. ``In 
a completely rational society,'' he said, ``the best of us would be 
teachers, and the rest of us would have to settle for something else.'' 
Fortunately, in Iowa, so many of our best and brightest do go into 
teaching. And Paul Mann was one of the very finest.
  To honor his activism in the cause of world peace and understanding, 
the Paul Mann Memorial School has been established in Chiapas, Mexico. 
In addition, he has another living legacy: countless former students 
who are living the noble ideals that he taught in his classroom and 
embodied in his life.
  Paul Mann lived a life of constant activism and thoughtful action 
both in and out of the classroom. His life is one worthy of recognition 
and I commend his family and all of his former colleagues for doing 
their part in honoring him with the Applegate-Dorros Award.

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