Happy Pride!

While the Trump administration has continued in its campaign to expunge queer people and their histories from federal websites and monuments in recent months, this year’s Pride Month celebrations show that the LGBTQ+ community will not be quietly erased or sidelined. Celebrating the history of trans and queer resistance is more important than ever, and Professor Wendy Rouse of San Jose State University has written an excellent new blog on the subject for Pride Month. 

In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill No. 800, which designates the first week of May as “Workplace Readiness Week” in California high schools. AB800 requires that all California eleventh and twelfth-grade students be taught their rights in the workplace. This type of instruction is incredibly important.

There is no denying that our Earth is straining under the impact of human activities. It is also true that there are more people than ever committed to improving the situation, despite, or perhaps because of, federal retreat from climate action. This resource explores the 55th Earth Day in the context of climate change and includes classroom activities, up-to-date news and reports, and links to organizations doing good work in the realm of environmental justice and climate change.

Happy Women’s History Month! 

February is Black History Month, and, at UC Davis, Black Futures Month, which represents the “campus community’s commitment to remembering, celebrating, and learning from the proud history of Black Americans and the promising future of all scholars who continue to bring innovation and excellence to our society.” 

Did you know that the California Education Code stipulates that all students should have access to standards-based arts education in dance, music, theatre, visual, and media arts, and yet only eleven percent of California schools meet this requirement?  In fact, twenty-one percent of California schools do not offer any form of formal arts instruction.

Happy holidays to all who celebrate — and happy holiday break to all the teachers in our network! We hope you can all take the break you deserve and spend some downtime relaxing or enjoying the company of family and friends. 

In the spirit of spending time with loved ones, we’ve chosen to focus this month’s newsletter on community history. Listed below are some teaching resources and reading recommendations that center family and community stories. Click on any of the links to learn more!

To our CHSSP Network:

Happy Earth Day & Happy Environmental History Week! 

Environmental history is the often inherently interdisciplinary study of how human beings have interacted with and shaped the natural world around us over time. It grew largely out of the conservation and environmental movements in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, and it continues to grow and adapt to respond to present-day climate concerns and science.  

“Women were rarely mentioned in history books,” which, according to Beverly Fitch McCarthy, one of California’s delegates who was selected to attend the 1977 National Women’s Conference, made her come to the realization that she might be a feminist.