[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10108]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  STATEMENT COMMENDING THE NAMING OF THE RODERICK P. PAIGE ELEMENTARY 
                                 SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2008

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize our former Secretary of Education, Dr. Rod Paige, on the 
occasion of the naming of an elementary school in Houston, Texas in his 
honor. This is certainly a well-deserved honor for Dr. Paige given his 
years of dedication to educational excellence, and I hope that the 
dedication will impact a whole new generation of students who may be 
inspired by all that Dr. Paige has accomplished throughout his career.
  On January 21, 2001, the United States Senate confirmed Dr. Roderick 
Paige as the 7th U.S. Secretary of Education. For Dr. Paige, the son of 
a principal and a librarian in public schools, that day was the 
crowning achievement of a long career in education.
  Born in 1933 in segregated Monticello, Mississippi, Dr. Paige's 
accomplishments speak of his commitment to education. He earned a 
bachelor's degree from Jackson State University in his home state, and 
went on to earn both a master's and a doctoral degree from Indiana 
University. Dr. Paige began working with students early in his career 
as a teacher and a coach. He then went on to serve as Dean of College 
of Education at Texas Southern University (TSU) for a decade. In this 
position Dr. Paige worked to ensure that future educators would receive 
the training and expertise necessary to succeed in the classroom.
  In 1989, Dr. Paige was sworn in as a trustee and an officer of the 
Board of Education of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), 
in which capacities he served until 1994 when he became superintendent 
of HISD, the nation's seventh largest school district.
  Dr. Paige served as the first African-American Secretary of Education 
from 2001-2005. During his tenure, Dr. Paige continued his mission to 
set new standards of educational achievement for all students. Today, 
Dr. Paige is the Chairman of Chartwell Education Group, an organization 
he co-founded to improve the quality of education for our nation's 
school children.
  The Roderick Paige Elementary School will be formally dedicated on 
Friday, May 23, 2008. Dr. Paige's impact on students in Houston and 
throughout this country will he felt for years to come. I congratulate 
Dr. Paige on this occasion. This is a fitting honor, and I can think of 
no greater individual to bestow it upon.

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