[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17295]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF BARBARA KERR

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me for 
a moment as I reflect on the many accomplishments of Barbara Kerr, who 
has just stepped down as president of the California Teachers 
Association. Barbara's dedication to California's teachers is matched 
only by her dedication to California's schoolchildren.
  Barbara Kerr began her career in education as a first grade teacher 
at Woodcrest Elementary School in Riverside, CA. After a very long 
involvement with the California Teachers Association, she took the 
reins as its president 4 years ago. During her presidency, Barbara has 
had an intimate hand in six statewide elections, and she has been on 
the winning side in most of them. Her success can be attributed to her 
boundless energy, her ability to connect across the political spectrum, 
her keen insight, and her passion for giving every child the best 
possible educational opportunities.
  Last year, the Los Angeles Times named Barbara Kerr the third most 
powerful person in southern California, ranking her well ahead of both 
business leaders and elected officials. And the Los Angeles Times was 
right. Barbara has led the California Teachers Association through some 
of the most turbulent times in California's history and has done so 
with a clear aim to put California schools and their teachers and 
students first.
  Barbara is retiring from both the California Teachers Association and 
from teaching. I know that teachers across California will miss her 
strong leadership, and I will miss her perspective and wisdom on issues 
of education and more. But Barbara is also considering where the future 
may lead, and I can only hope that she will continue to stay involved 
and stay active. Where ever the future leads her, I know that Barbara 
will continue putting the needs of our children first.

                          ____________________