[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11909-11910]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        IN MEMORY OF LESLIE REIF

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 2004

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my colleagues, Mr. 
Stark and Ms. Lee, and myself, to offer tribute to Leslie Reif, who 
died on February 7, 2004. Leslie Reif devoted himself in exceptional 
ways to service in the communities in which he lived and worked. He 
served the Oakland community by choosing a career in public education, 
and bringing his exceptional talents to first and fourth grade students 
at the Jefferson Elementary School in Oakland. Mr. Reif served the San 
Francisco community by demonstrating an abiding concern for others in 
his neighborhood of Bernal Heights, and at his faith community at the 
First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco on Franklin 
Street.
  At the Jefferson Elementary School, Leslie Reif wore many hats. He 
was a fourth grade classroom teacher, responsible for mathematics, 
English, writing, geography and other subjects. Beyond his classroom, 
Mr. Reif was the school coordinator for the Martin Luther King 
Oratorical Fest held each year in February. During the fest, classes 
perform poems, plays and music to honor the memory of the Reverend Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., and to advance his goal of equality for all 
persons. For the last 2 years, Mr. Reifs class placed first at the 
Jefferson Elementary Fest and then went on to place second and win a 
medal at the regional competition encompassing all schools in Oakland.
  Leslie Reif could always be counted on to help other teachers hang 
photographs and educational exhibits in their classrooms, be a sounding 
board for advice or just to lend a sympathetic ear when someone was 
having a bad day. Mr. Reif was also the Fourth Grade teacher 
representative on the Faculty Council, a group that handles issues that 
affect working conditions at the school.
  Mostly, those who knew him described him as a caring individual and a 
tireless teacher. Mr. Reif typically arrived at school at 7:15 in the 
morning and often stayed late into the afternoon correcting papers, 
setting up the classroom for the next day, working on his lesson plan, 
directing extra-curricular activities or assisting other teachers with 
their own classroom projects.
  There is perhaps no better testament to his contribution to the 
students at Jefferson Elementary than in their own words and those of 
other teachers who were his colleagues there. On the Monday morning 
following his death, the school placed a giant banner in the central 
corridor for students to express their feelings. That banner, large as 
it was (ten feet long and four feet tall), turned out to be too small. 
Within hours, it was filled with messages of sadness, loss, love and 
grief. Another banner was added. When that one filled up, yet a third 
was put out. By the next day, that one had been filled as well.
  The messages are poignant and speak volumes about the respect and 
love that his students felt for him. Many of the messages were 
surrounded by hearts. For example, one elaborately decorated, bleeding 
heart contained the Spanish words for ``Rest in Peace''--``Que en Paz 
descanse, Maestro, Reif'' A few others: ``I remember your kindness. I 
will miss you bunches.'' ``I'm sad but have happy memories.'' ``Dear 
Mr. Reif, I hope your family will never forget you.'' ``You were a 
wonderful teacher. I miss you. I love you.'' ``The school will be your 
home.'' ``I miss you very much. You were my best teacher.''
  A Kindergarten class that barely knew Mr. Reif put up his picture and 
surrounded it with lighted candles in tribute. The students in his 
current class also wrote touching letters to Mr. Reifs family. Several 
referred to Mr. Reifs concern that his students not be the victims of 
violence, a real concern of his after he was held up at gunpoint one 
morning while parking near the school. Said one student, ``He was 
helpful by telling us not to open the door because someone could come 
in and shoot us . . . that it would be better if someone shoots him 
than someone shoots us.'' Another student wrote to Mr. Reifs son, 
Daniel, ``He was a really nice man. I bet he was a very good father.'' 
Many referred to the academic achievements they made under his 
direction, such as the ability to write properly composed letters, and 
to his efforts to teach them good manners.
  Similarly, fellow teachers at the school are honoring Mr. Reifs 
achievements and contributions by having a plaque made up in his honor 
and memory, which will be placed on the lectern in the auditorium which 
is used at all school assemblies and the Martin Luther King Oratorical 
Fest. In addition, a scholarship fund has been established in his name 
by the Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute in co-sponsorship with 
the Oakland Education Association.
  Mr. Speaker, Leslie Reif was the kind of teacher students remember 10 
and 20 and even 40 years later, because he made a real difference in 
their young lives. He began each morning by having his students recite 
``The Happiness Formula,'' a statement written by a former colleague 
that promotes non-violence, high self-esteem and kindness to others. 
They will remember him for his tireless dedication to

[[Page 11910]]

excellence, his infectious optimism, and his deep caring for them and 
their achievements. He will be remembered as a man who loved working 
with children.
  That public education became his vocation is not terribly surprising. 
When he was only 16, he was already teaching younger children to play 
chess, a particular talent of his, and tutoring public school students 
in New York City, where he grew up. He was, in fact, born in New York 
City, educated at Bowdoin College and Princeton University, from which 
he received his B.A. Cum Laude, and Columbia University's School of 
Journalism, from which he received a Masters Degree.
  He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1987, and had been a 
resident of San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood since 1989. His 
was a friendly and familiar face to neighborhood residents, shopkeepers 
and others. He always had a warm greeting on the street or in a store 
and became involved in community events and activities. For example, 
when Mr. Reifs son, Daniel Reif, started attending kindergarten at the 
Paul Revere Elementary School 6 years ago, Mr. Reif volunteered 
extensively in school activities. He met and was mentored and inspired 
by the Principal of Paul Revere at the time, Randy Haves.
  Not one to allow the inspiration of a great educator to go to waste, 
Mr. Reif had, within a year, obtained emergency teaching credentials to 
be a first grade classroom teacher at Jefferson Elementary in Oakland 
across the bay, and had gone back to school to gain his full teaching 
credentials. It was only the first step in his involvement at Jefferson 
Elementary.
  Leslie Reif was a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Society 
of San Francisco, where a memorial service was held for him on February 
11. More than 150 people attended, including several of his students 
and their parents. He is remembered by church members for his 
involvement in the Forums Committee and the children's Religious 
Education program.
  Mr. Reif died of complications from an epileptic seizure. In the last 
decade, Mr. Reif had helped educate others about epilepsy, including 
working as a health educator for the former Epilepsy League of the East 
Bay, now the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California. His death 
helps to illustrate how much more needs to be done to learn more about, 
to treat and ultimately to find a cure for this neurological disorder.
  Finally, last but certainly not least, Leslie Reif was a loving 
husband to his wife, Millie Phillips, a devoted father to his son 
Daniel Reif, and an attentive and supporting stepfather to Ms. 
Phillips' son, Jeffrey Morgan. Mr. Reif was born to an Irish Catholic 
mother and a Czech Jewish father, who emigrated to the United States in 
1940. It is not surprising that the term used most often by his friends 
to describe him is the Yiddish term ``mensch.'' He was a kind, modest 
man who downplayed most of his own accomplishments, while working hard 
to encourage the success of others. That is the lasting legacy he 
leaves to his family, his school, our communities and our country.

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