The quote above is from King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” written in 1963. The letter’s defense of nonviolent resistance and insistence on justice for all has made it a foundational text for the ongoing civil rights movement. Courtesy Teaching Tolerance; illustration by Nip Rogers.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is January 21. While King’s message of equality and justice for all is best embedded in the curriculum year round, educators can highlight his impact and relevance by choosing from multiple classroom resources, including those at NEA, Teaching Tolerance, Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Education Institute ().
January 30 is Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in California. The civil rights activist challenged the U.S. government on Japanese-American internment during World War II, taking his case all the way to the Supreme Court. Educators can turn to korematsuinstitute.org for lesson plans and books such as “Fred Korematsu Speaks Up” (Heyday, 2017) to teach students about his life and work, and relate them to current events. (For example, in 2016 a political commentator suggested that the Japanese internment set a constitutional precedent for a proposed registry of Muslim immigrants.)
CTA HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS
January 9 Filing deadline
These awards, in various categories, promote development of programs to advance and protect human and civil rights within CTA. Any active member, chapter, caucus or Service Center Council may nominate.
cta.org/awards
CANDIDACY FOR NEA STATE COUNCIL
January 31 Filing deadline
Candidates for NEA RA state delegate must submit a declaration of candidacy.
ESP LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
February & March Training
Session 1: Burlingame, Feb. 1–3; Session 2: Los Angeles, March 29–31. Annual CTA training exclusively for Education Support Professionals members to build leadership within our ESP ranks.
CTA SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS & AWARDS
February & March Application deadlines
Get your or your dependent’s paperwork in on time! Application deadline for CTA Scholarships is Feb. 1; the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship is Feb. 15; the Cesar Chavez Memorial Education Awards is March 15.
cta.org/scholarships
NEA FOUNDATION GRANTS
February 1 Application deadline
The NEA Foundation awards grants to NEA members. Student Achievement Grants support improving academic achievement; Learning and Leadership Grants support quality professional development. Applications are reviewed three times a year.
neafoundation.org
NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK
February 4-8 Event
Celebrate your school counselor and their impact on students’ academic success and career plans.
schoolcounselor.org
CCA WINTER CONFERENCE
February 8–10 Conference
Doubletree Hilton, San Diego Mission Valley. The focus will be on collective bargaining hints and tips.
cca4us.org
CTA/NEA-RETIRED ISSUES CONFERENCE
February 28–March 1 Conference
Fairmont San Jose. Learn how CTA/NEA-Retired works to protect your future and monitors federal legislation that affects retirement benefits. Get and stay connected. Hotel cutoff: Feb. 6.
READ ACROSS AMERICA
March 1 Event
Plan a student reading event now.
readacrossamerica.org
EQUITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE
March 1–3 Conference
Fairmont San Jose. captures the essence of CTA’s mission statement: to ensure the dignity and civil rights of all children and youth are protected and to secure a more equitable and democratic society. Hotel cut-off: Feb. 6.
NEW EDUCATOR WEEKEND NORTH
March 8–10 Conference
Hyatt SFO Burlingame. has all you need to be successful in your first years of teaching: tools to create a productive, inspiring learning environment; the latest thinking on pedagogy; etc. A pre-conference covers professional development resources, strategies for student debt, and career/financial planning. Hotel cut-off: Feb. 21.
NEA ESP CONFERENCE
March 22-24 Conference
Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel. ESPs can enhance skills and knowledge to positively impact student achievement, build community relations, organize and advocate, build stronger locals, and help our members do their jobs better.
Representative Assembly Reminder
The declaration of candidacy form for state delegates to the 2019 NEA Representative Assembly in Houston, Texas, is in the December/January Educator magazine, and .
The Year Ahead
Issues Conference
Jan. 18–20, 2019
Las Vegas, Nevada
Good Teaching Conference North
Feb. 1–3, 2019
San Jose
ESP Leadership Academy
Feb. 1–3, 2019
Session 1: Burlingame
March 29–31, 2019
Session 2: Los Angeles
CCA Winter Conference
Feb. 8–10, 2019
San Diego
CTA/NEA-Retired Issues Conference
Feb. 28–March 1, 2019
San Jose
Read Across America
March 1, 2019
Equity and Human Rights Conference
March 1–3, 2019
San Jose
New Educator Weekend North
March 8–10, 2019
Burlingame
Good Teaching Conference South
March 22–24, 2019
Garden Grove
CCA Spring Conference
April 26–28, 2019
Irvine
California Day of the Teacher
May 8, 2019
CTA ESP Day
May 21, 2019
Presidents Conference
July 18–21, 2019
San Jose
Summer Institute
July 28–Aug. 1, 2019
Los Angeles