CGCT Newsletter Vo2

8/3/2019 CGCT Newsletter Vo2

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The Writing is on the WallMarch 5, Madison, WI: Families,

public workers, teachers and

students clearly see whats at stake as

social services, education, wages, andunion protections are all on the

chopping block. So do millions of

people in the Middle East from

Egypt to Libya to Iraq as grassroots

demonstrations rock the entire region

like never before. So do the Ethnic

Studies educators from Tucson,

Arizona who face an all-out

onslaught against culturally relevant

education. And so must we here at

home.

With mayor-elect Rahm Emmanuel

and his pro-business agenda ready

to take power in May, lets ask a few

questions. Will Chicago continue to

displace its African American

population (20 percent gone to the

suburbs between 2000 and 2010) andgentrify lower-income people out of

their homes? Will Daleys Ren 2010

education platform of privatization,

union-busting, high stakes testing,

and disastrous student shuffling

carry on? Will Chicago move even

closer to a total police-state and

criminalize more youth of color as

10,000 cameras, 1000 more police,

and CPD trucks and equipment get

pumped into our neighborhoods?

Chicagoans, the writing is on the

wall. We either learn how to

e f f e c t i v e l y b u i l d u n i t y a n d

consolidate social justice learning,

we will lose our city. As

classroom learning, arent these t

issues students face? Mustnt thlearn how to struggle for chang

Education, we think, must respon

to the realities of the day. Just

students in a farming commun

learn to till the land, our children

survival relies on a releva

education with social action at t

core. This is the bottom line.

In this issue, we cover just a fe

actions, people, and groups movi

curriculum into the realm

RELEVANCE. Look inside and g

involved in creating curriculum fro

the ground up!

In this issue:g. 1:

Introduction & IL Standards

g 2:

Project Tracks

g. 3:

Unit Update & Upcoming Events

g. 4:

Curriculum Night Spotlights

g. 5:

Relevant Learning

g. 6:

WI Resistance

g. 7:

Archives & Release Party

g. 8:

Web Sites, Contributors/Contact

Chicago Grassroots Curriculum Taskforce March 2011 Monthly Newsletter Vo

Illinois Standards You Should Know and Integrate:Socio-Emotional Skills, 3.A.J2: Explain how a change in a current social policy (e.g., health care coverage for child

ree public education, child care assistance for working families) would impact the behaviors of individuals and group

Mathematics, 7C: Select and use appropriate technology, instruments, and formulas to solve problems, interpret resnd communicate findings.

From Madison to theWorld and Back...


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Co-Authoring& PublishingHelp createA PeoplesChicago: Our Stories ofChange and Struggle.3rd-12th gradevertically alignedcurriculum set within a

global history context.Co-author an action-based, interdisciplinary,skills-driven, andcollege preparatorycurriculum with a focuson Chicago hoods!Allcontributions welcome!

Create aClearinghouseEducators across theChi areuploading highquality curriculum,projects, activities, etc.with visions of coveringall subject areas, topics,

grades, skill-levels, anduses. Contribute yourwork today and build aChicago clearinghouseof high qualityclassroom and populareducation materials.Share across the sky!

GrassrootsArchivesImagine awebsite withhistoric and currentdocuments,photographs, videos,timelines, studentwork, letters, and more.

Read, download, anduse right away!Upload a piece youvecome across and helpus build a digitalarchival library foreveryone. The websiteis coming soon!

Compiling KeyResourcesOur website willbecome a grassrootsresource center. Youcan access annotatedbibliography lists forall sorts of resources

and links. Youll findour choices of helpfuwebsites, books, othepublications, and morShare your favoritesreadings, websites,resources, field trips,speakers, other media

Chicago Grassroots Curriculum Taskforce Building great curriculum from the ground

The more information students can transfer from their schooling to thecontext of everyday life, the greater the probability that they will be goodcommunicators, informed citizens, critical thinkers, and successful problemsolversThematic units and an integrated curriculum enhance the transferrocess. --David Sousa, How the Brain Learns


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Chicago School and Education Struggles: Past, Present, and Future

Upcoming Events!

Chicago Grassroots Curriculum Taskforce Building great curriculum from the ground u

Education Unit Updates

Annotated bibliography is be

developed

Annotated websites are nearcomplete

Curriculum map is in first dr

Art is being created (see cent

Photos are being gathered antaken of schools and commun

Good pedagogical examples classroom are being covered

Unit summary ishalf written

DePaul service learning studbegin creating timeline in Apr

Tues. March 8: CGCT Monthly Curriculum Night - Chicago Teachers Center, 770 N Halsted - 4th fl, - 5:30-7:30pm*Free parking across the street (newcomer orientation provided)

Sat. March 12: Chicago Teachers Union Event with Diane Ravitch - UIC Forum 725 W Roosevelt Rd. - 12:00-1:30pm*buy tickets online @www.ctunet.com/ravitch

Sat. March 12:ITAGs Winter Session Sharing Night - Marwen, 833 N. Orleans - 5:00-7:00pm*Great presentations, potluck, and much more sponsored by Teachers for Social Justice

Sat. March 19: Teachers for Social Justice General Meeting - UIC 1040 West Harrison 3rd floor - 1:00-2:00pm

Tues.April 12: CGCT Monthly Curriculum Night - Chicago Teachers Center, 770 N Halsted, 4th fl - 5:30-7:30pm*Free parking across the street (newcomer orientation provided) *Kuumba Lynx Curriculum Featured!*

Fri.April 15:CGCT Curriculum Release Party/Fundraiser - Red Kiva, 1108 W. Randolph St. - 9:00pm-2:00am*$20 suggested donation with a sliding scale (Must say GRASSROOTS at the door)

Sat. April 17: Teachers for Social Justice General Meeting - UIC 1040 West Harrison 3rd floor- 10:40-11:40am

Sat. May 14:Education In Crisis: What You Can Do! - Malcolm X college 1900 W Van Buren - 9:00am-3:30pm* hosted by CTU - register @www.ctunet.com

Our Inquiry to Action Group

(ItAG) is hard at work developingmaterials (see right) for our next unit,Chicago Schools and EducationStruggles: Past, Present, and Future.

Thanks to the New York Collective ofRadical Educators model adopted andorganized by Teachers for SocialJustice, were excited to announce thecontinuation and expansion of our

weekly ItAG group! With ourNorthside group in place, wereexpanding in April to the Westside,

hosted by Myrna Garcia. With aSouthside branch in the works as well,these regional study/work groups willact as the foundations of ourgrassrooots curriculum development

process. Please call Anton at773.387.1844 if youd like to attendor help out. Or email us [email protected].
http://www.teachersforjustice.org/2011/01/2011-tsj-inquiry-to-action-groups-itags.htmlhttp://www.ctunet.com/ravitchhttp://www.ctunet.com/ravitchhttp://www.ctunet.com/http://www.ctunet.com/http://www.teachersforjustice.org/2011/01/2011-tsj-inquiry-to-action-groups-itags.htmlhttp://www.ctunet.com/ravitchmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ctunet.com/http://www.ctunet.com/http://www.teachersforjustice.org/2011/01/2011-tsj-inquiry-to-action-groups-itags.htmlhttp://www.teachersforjustice.org/2011/01/2011-tsj-inquiry-to-action-groups-itags.htmlhttp://www.ctunet.com/ravitchhttp://www.ctunet.com/ravitch


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S E Q U O I A C L U B

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Curriculum Night Spotlights

Suspension Stories - a youth-led participatoryaction research project to understand the school to

prison pipeline. This initiative is the result of a

collaboration between the Rogers Park YoungWomen's Action Team and Project NIA.

Find workshop templates at the following links:

http://www.suspensionstories.com/about/curriculum/

http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-

prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/

Also from Mariame Kab

Exploring the Roots of Violenblog- Find workshop templaand keep up with Project Niacurriculum offerings as well aothers:

rootsofviolence.wordpress.co

"Giving Name to the Nameles

Using Poetry as an Anti-ViolIntervention for Girls and Yo

Women:

www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpcurriculum/

Something is Wrong: Explorinthe Roots of Youth Violence -

A thorough curriculum guideroot causes and solutions to

youth violence:

http://www.project-nia.org/event_curriculum-guide.htm

Mariame Kaba - Project NIA

Kuumba Lynx *Links*Curriculum with CGCT

After nearly fifteen years of highquality arts programming withthousands of youth in Chicagospubl ic schools , parks, and

communities, Kuumba Lynx knowsa few things about urban arts and

hiphop curriculum development. With files upon files ofarts

workshops, student poetry, plays,and classroom curricula for theHalf Pint Poets, Kuumba Lynxoffers Chicago educators and artsprogrammers a veritable treasure

chest of urban arts instructionalmodels.

In collaboration with CGCT, thesecurricular gifts will begin to surfaceo u t s i d e o f K L s r e g u l a rprogramming. Jacinda Hall-Bullie,co-founder of KL says, everycurricular unit from every core

subject area should integrate thearts. Also, every arts curriculumshould integrate social justicethemes. Were excited to build bothof these with the GrassrootsTaskforce.

As members of the GrassrootsTaskforce, Kuumba Lynx will helpfacilitate the infusion of powerfularts curriculum into every unit

CGCT creates. In addition, CG will help Kuumba Lynx preporganize, and strengthen extensive files of curriculum eventual publication as a stand-alobook on Kuumba Lynx. T

partnership epitomizes reciprocal relationship betweCGCT and other groups. Heach other build curriculum for a with the youth, families, communities ofChicago.

www.kuumbalynx.org

CGCT invited Mariame Kaba topresent at our first Curriculum NightonFeb. 8th. Not only did Mariame presenton the dynamic curricular projects shescoordinated, a working relationship andopen exchange is now established

between us and Project NIA. Here is asampling of some of Project NIAs latestand ongoing work. We are greatly humbledand appreciative to work with Ms. Kaba, asher work inspires us and thousands acrossthe globe.

Grassroots Publisher and Activist

Kuumba Lynx Half Pint Poets work to be featured at the April 2nd Curriculum Night!
http://www.kuumbalynx.org/http://www.kuumbalynx.org/http://www.project-nia.org/event_curriculum-guide.htmlhttp://www.project-nia.org/event_curriculum-guide.htmlhttp://www.project-nia.org/event_curriculum-guide.htmlhttp://www.project-nia.org/event_curriculum-guide.htmlhttp://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://rootsofviolence.wordpress.com/http://rootsofviolence.wordpress.com/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/school-to-prison-pipeline/stpp-curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/about/curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/about/curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/about/curriculum/http://www.suspensionstories.com/about/curriculum/


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Uplift Community HSs 1st Annual Social Justice Fair Rocked!

Relevant Learning

On February 24-25, Tucson UnifiedSchool District teachers Norma and JoseGonzalez came to Chicago on a tour ofndiana, Illinois and Michigan as part ofthe "Save Ethnic Studies" tour. The

Ethnic Studies program, a K-12urriculum which includes Mexican-American studies, brings a history thatas been marginalized to the forefront.

After giving a presentation at the

University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) atoon on the 24th, they gave a talk tobout 150 teachers, students andommunity members in the auditorium atthe Lawndale/Little Village high school

multiplex at 31st and Kostner. Theirmessage was especially important as theyre engaged in a legal battle to make surethat Latino/a students in Tucson canearn about their culture. Currently thetate of Arizona has passed HB 2281,

Save Ethnic Studies Comes to Chicago!

saveethnicstudies.org

On Wednesday, February 8th, visitorswitnessed Uplifts 1st Social JusticeExpo by entering a hallway of livelystudents, their superb exhibits, andsupportive teachers. Needless to say, itwas a special educational experience anda model of a local school integratingrelevant and timely social justicelearning into the curriculum.

Inspired by the annual citywide SocialJustice Student Expo held by Chicago Youth Initiating Change, Upliftlaunched their school-based Expo this year. Today is all about making social justice explicit as the theme of ourschool. Students get excited about theirlearning when its relevant to their livesand other people show interest, saysMr. Haines, 9th grade history teacher.Uplift students covered numerous topicsincluding Wal-Mart Labor Exploitation,Storytime through the Eyes of Urban

Youth, Ecology and Food, ResistanSlavery, Social Justice Heroes, ORomero A Violence for Love, Down with Black Panther PartyMillion Children in Child SlaveryPrison Bound to name a few oexhibit titles.

The Uplift Social Justice Clubon the exploitative practices of Mart. Students combined their video work, letter writing, traditional exhibiting to highlightcampaign to expose how Walmarbeen exploiting their employees unfair labor practices, says AmNavarro, high school junior.

After learning about this, we believe in exploiting labor just to jobs in the neighborhood, exAmanda.

eliminating the teaching of ethnic studiesin Arizona k-12 schools.

Championed by former Superintendentof Public Instruction Tom Horne, the billstates that ethnic studies promotes"unamerican sentiment" and "racialhostility towards Whites." As both of these accusations are untrue, legislationlike 2281 is important to us in Chicago assomething like the Chicago Grassroots

Curriculum could be challenged byconservative naysayers, making claimssimilar to Horne. The presence and wordsof Norma and Jose definitely stand as aninspiration to us in Chicago, as we gear up to crea te a Ch icago Grassroo tsCurriculum!


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S E Q U O I A C L U B

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Wisconsins Inside Scoop

Im Isabelle. Im here because my dad is union and my momused to be union. Were here because we want to telleverybody that we found out a few more things that the bill[Budget Repair Bill] is going to take away. We just found outthat its going to take away the WIC [Women, Infant, Children]program and theyre going to take away a fund that is used togive to poor people when they die, so they can be buried. [Arethey teaching about this at school?] Yes! [Have you seen anyof your teachers here?] Yes (smiling).

Wisconsins Budget Repair Bill would:Cut 9% in aid to schools, amounting to around $900million in K-12 education cuts

Repeal the authority of most state workers to collectivelybargain

Put a greater burden on workers for pension and healthinsurance costs

Provide $22 million to Department of Correctionscut the WIC (Women Infant Children) program

End the states recycling program

Allow no-bid contracts to energy companies in the sale ofheating and cooling plants across the state

Governor Walkers biggest campaign contributors were the

Koch brothers, billionaires in the energy and consumer

products industries. Here are some common Koch Brothers

products to consider boycotting:Angel Soft toilet paperBrawny paper towelsDixie plates, bowls, napkins and cups

Mardi Gras napkins and towelsQuilted Northern toilet paperSoft 'n Gentle toilet paperSparkle napkinsVanity Fair napkinsZee napkinsGeorgia-Pacific paper productsand envelopes

These accounts com

from the WisconsinState Journal,interviews with

protesters on March5th and pro-union

flyers.

Isabelle (right) - 6th grade, and her family

Additional Note: $7.5 million - The Department of Administrations estimated cost to clean upthe tape (from posters) at the Capitol building. Now estimated at $350,000.

Teachable Actions


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Curriculum Release Party w/ Jammin 4 Justice!!!

Urban Renewal orUrban Removal? AnActionInvestigation intoChicagos LandBattles

Chicagos UrbanPlanning,Disinvestment,Displacement, andCommunity Strugglesfrom 1800 to Today

Annotated Archives

Friday, April 15th 20118pm-2am (Program 8 - 1O:30)

Red Kiva - 1108 W. Randolph St.Poetry, Comedy, Live Music, DJ Tyson

Chicago Red Squad Records: Chicago History Museum

1601 N. Clark St. Chicago IL

312.642.4600

Contact: Debbie Vaughan

Many believe that we live under a government that allows the people tofreely assemble, protest, and express their political beliefs. The Red

Squad collection at the Chicago History Museum reveals a completelydifferent story. From the 1930s to the 1970s the Red Squad was a

special police unit in the city that placed under surveillance all groupsand individuals considered subversives. Photos, newspaper clippings,

political literature, and police reports were collected for a wide range of

socialist, feminist, civil rights, New Left, anti-war, and Black, Latino,Asian American and Native American power movements. As a studentor researcher you have a right to attain special legal permission to review

the Red Squad records.(email [email protected] for instructions).

Every month, we will feature two treasure chests of primary sources and importantresearch that should be brought into classrooms and communities everywhere.

$20 DONATION w

SLIDING SCALEYOU MUST SAY

GRASSROOTSAT THE DOOR FOR YOU

DONATIONS TO REACHUS! ALL $$ GOES TO

PUBLISH!

Students for a Democratic Society Archive: Western Historica

Society, University of Wis. Madison

816 State St. Madison WI.

608.264.6535

Contact: Richard L. Pifer

On the campus of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the WesHistorical Society houses one of the most comprehensive collection

Students for a Democratic Society. During the 1960s SDS chaptexisted at universities throughout the country with its national

headquarters in Chicago. Those interested in learning about thideology of the New Left, the relationship between mother count

radicals and activists of color, JOIN, ERAP, the Vietnam War, thDays of Rage and the Weatherman should consult this collection.

wide range of papers, political pamphlets, newspapers, books, and arecordings are available to the public.

It takes $2000 to get this printing under way.

Come Party and Help us Publish Curriculum!
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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For curriculum/archival contributions,professional development, and presentations:

773.387.1844

For (multi) media, photography, music, video,newsletter, and other arts:

530.559.4754

Any ideas, questions,feedback? Email us:

[email protected]

The Education for Liberation Network is a national coalition

of teachers, community activists, researchers, youth and

parents who believe a good education should teach people particularly low-income youth and youth of colorhow to

understand and challenge the injustices their communities face.

http://www.edliberation.org/

Featured Social Justice Education Websites

The Zinn Education Project promotes andsupports the use of Howard Zinns best-selling book A Peoples History of theUnited States and other materials forteaching a peoples history in middle andhigh school classrooms across the country.The Zinn Education Project is coordinatedby two non-profit organizations, Rethinking

Schools and Teaching for Change.

http://www.zinnedproject.orgTeaching a PeoplesHistory: ZinnEducation Project

Issue Contributors:Antonio Lopez

Mariame Kaba

Anton MigliettaSarah Jane Rhee

Lindsay Smith

David Stovall

Terrence Tz-eye Haymer

Contact:

Newsletter Coordinator: Halley Miglietta
http://www.zinnedproject.org/http://www.zinnedproject.org/http://teachingforchange.org/http://teachingforchange.org/http://www.rethinkingschools.org/http://www.rethinkingschools.org/http://www.rethinkingschools.org/http://www.rethinkingschools.org/http://zinnedproject.org/posts/67http://zinnedproject.org/posts/67http://zinnedproject.org/posts/67http://zinnedproject.org/posts/67http://www.zinnedproject.org/wp/about/howard-zinn/http://www.zinnedproject.org/wp/about/howard-zinn/http://www.edliberation.org/http://www.edliberation.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

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CGCT Newsletter Vo2