I. Resolution on Reimagining the Future of English Education Together
II. Resolution on Affirming Teachers’ Obligation to Teach Controversial Material
III. Resolution to Address and Empower Teacher Autonomy
IV. CATE 2022: Board Resolution–Commendation of the Convention Committee
I. RESOLUTION ON REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF ENGLISH EDUCATION TOGETHER
BACKGROUND: In February of 2021, CATE passed a resolution describing the disruption of education that both teachers and students experienced during emergency remote learning, as well as the importance of returning to in-person learning. At the time, CATE resolved to commend teachers and to urge those in power to provide further resources to teachers and students. Since this resolution was passed, the pandemic has required that teachers and students transition between virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning (not necessarily in that order), which has heightened the negative and rippling impact on teacher and student mental health, brought a spotlight to the inequities in education, and revealed unrealistic expectations placed on teachers and schools by their communities.
WHEREAS, through the trials of emergency remote learning, the necessity for teachers and students to engage in in-person education has become clear. Teachers and students, within the same shared space can better connect to their learning communities, better practice speaking and listening skills, and access kinesthetic learning. The mental health consequences amplified by prolonged remote instruction exacerbated feelings of isolation and disconnection among teachers and students alike, which underscores the necessity of the social and emotional practices inherent to in-person instruction.
WHEREAS, being provided with more equitable access to laptops, hotspots, and various forms of learning management systems (LMS) due to the COVID-19 global pandemic has allowed teachers the opportunity to leverage these technologies within blended/hybrid classrooms in order to help students better access and engage with learning through diverse platforms and modes of communication. These systems allow for strategically curated resources and instruction to better fit the various learning styles and individualized educational needs of the students.
WHEREAS, teacher use of multimodal texts by mixing written, visual, audio, gestural, spatial, kinesthetic modes supports all learners and also prepares them for the multimodality of modern media. Multimodal texts bring Universal Design for Learning into the classroom which provides students better comprehension, engagement, and expression of learning by: (1) helping students access written texts with audio and visuals, (2) recruiting student interest with multimodal design of texts (i.e combining graphics or audio in support of written texts), (3) providing opportunities for students to express learning through diverse tools to compose multimedia texts. Educational technology is uniquely positioned to allow students better access to the necessary tools for creating digital multimodal texts (i.e. live or recorded video presentations, films, infographics, podcasts, webpages, etc).
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that CATE commend the flexibility in teaching and learning required, and displayed, by both teachers and students, to navigate the continual changes to what was previously the predominantly accepted model of education in the United States prior to the pandemic.
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that CATE recognizes that while there are positive uses for technologies engaged during the pandemic, the severe and lasting impact which the shift in educational platforms and communication has had and will continue to have on the mental and physical health of both teachers and students highlights the need to continue to make in-person teaching and learning a priority.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as we continue to navigate new and continuously changing classroom spaces, that CATE, recognize the need to not forget these experiences, but to instead use them to inform future teaching practices. CATE acknowledges, supports, and encourages California teachers as they continue to incorporate new technologies, multimodal texts, and work to perpetually reimagine the future of teaching and learning.
To:
California Department of Education
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
California English, CATE
English Journal, NCTE
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
California Subject Matter Project
California Mathematics Council
California Science Teachers Association
California Council for the Social Studies
California Music Education Association
California Art Education Association
California Teachers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom
II. RESOLUTION ON AFFIRMING TEACHERS’ OBLIGATION TO TEACH CRITICAL READING, WRITING, and THINKING
BACKGROUND: The American Library Association has recently seen an unprecedented number of challenges (330), particularly concerning books addressing LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC. The recent banning of “Maus” by Tennessee’s McMinn County Board of Education is a perfect example of this trend. Furthermore, books like George by Alex Gino are banned for LGBTQIA+ themes that violate “the values [of a] community.” Along with this book banning is an increased dismissiveness toward ideas that are anathema to our own. However, well organized and funded groups are orchestrating many of these attacks and not individual families within the schools themselves. These bans are happening in a milieu of intense political polarization which makes civil discourse increasingly difficult but no less important.
Additionally, virtual teaching during the pandemic gave parents/guardians the chance to see their students’ classrooms, but they may have viewed only parts of lessons, so they didn’t receive the entire educational context and rationale of the choice or purpose for teaching a particular text.
WHEREAS, English teachers have traditionally been tasked with teaching the principles of reasoned argument and the use of evidence, and
WHEREAS, the California constitution calls for education to “diffuse” knowledge and impart knowledge that preserves people’s rights and liberties, and English teachers provide the critical reading and thinking skills that facilitate students understanding of said knowledge, and
WHEREAS, individual parents and guardians who could express their concerns about their own students to their classroom teachers, are being preempted by organized groups of people who are fighting for directed censorship for their own groups’ agendas, and
WHEREAS, our ignoring the arguments and discussions taking place in the wider world outside the classroom contribute to many students’ feelings of alienation, and whereas those arguments and discussions constitute a rich and ready source of material to engage students, and
WHEREAS, a commitment to the principles of reasoned argument requires a reliance on facts and data, and
WHEREAS English teachers, being critical thinking and reading teachers, are uniquely well-placed to engage students in the process of examining multiple perspectives around texts and ideas;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that CATE affirm English teachers’ rights and obligations to engage their students in the public issues of the day, subject to the principles of reasoned and respectful debate; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CATE encourage members to engage their colleagues and their students in reading and writing about issues of public importance, especially when such issues involve potentially difficult conversations which call on precisely those skills of argument and use of evidence that we have traditionally valued and that the State Standards require; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CATE reaffirm the principle that the decision on what books to teach are best made by professional teachers working in established curricular committees; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CATE encourages English teachers to resist censorship of challenging books and topics.
To:
California Department of Education
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
California English, CATE
English Journal, NCTE
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
California Subject Matter Project
California Mathematics Council
California Science Teachers Association
California Council for the Social Studies
California Music Education Association
California Art Education Association
California Teachers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom
III. RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS AND EMPOWER TEACHER AUTONOMY
BACKGROUND: It is critical to empower students with the necessary skills to engage in critical conversations challenging the dominant power structures and the ideologies that underpin society’s adopted hegemony. English teachers are well suited to teach students these skills. There is a call for education to be inclusive and diversified, and within this, a movement across the nation to critique the dominant power structures which, in order to maintain power, try to silence diversity. As a result of this movement, purveyors of the power structure have responded with actions, sometimes violent, that seek to maintain the status quo.
WHEREAS one goal of English Language Arts teachers must be to help students become aware of the role of language in creating and maintaining the dominant power structure and to teach students the skills to critique and even resist that structure; and
WHEREAS language is at the center of power structures and ideas and language is the mode and method for all learning,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that CATE call upon the voters and legislature of California to continue to recognize the importance of language in challenging the dominant power structure in order to continue a democratic society by preserving teacher autonomy, honoring their professionalism, and protecting their authority to open the classroom to diverse ideas, and resisting legislation which threatens this autonomy.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CATE calls upon legislature to maintain this autonomy which has been denied recently in other states, by voting against laws, such as AB1785
To:
California Department of Education
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
California English, CATE
English Journal, NCTE
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association
California Subject Matter Project
California Mathematics Council
California Science Teachers Association
California Council for the Social Studies
California Music Education Association
California Art Education Association
California Teachers Association
Governor Gavin Newsom
California State Legislature.
IV. CATE 2022: BOARD RESOLUTION–COMMENDATION OF THE CONVENTION COMMITTEE
Reimagining the Future of English Education Together, the theme of this year’s convention, reminds us “to reaffirm and rejuvenate by learning with and from one another.” The guest speakers and teacher presenters have encouraged us to reflect on the future of the English classroom through lenses of social emotional learning, engaging curricula, and social justice, as we reunite with each other and the essence of our profession.
The annual CATE convention happens only because of the efforts of many teachers and other volunteers who donate their time and energy to make this weekend possible.
LET IT BE RESOLVED that the California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) thank and commend the following outstanding volunteers and members of the convention committee:
Convention Chair Julie Burnett, Kern Learn, Bakersfield
CWP Pre Convention Chair Tim Dewar, UC Santa Barbara
Convention Coordinators Annie Gervais, Mills Middle School, Rancho Cordova
Jennifer Silver, Vistamar High School, El Segundo
Audio Visual Chair Dr. James Ray
Autograph/Bookstore Liaison Chair Frank Mata, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Eastvale
CATE Membership Chair Joan Williams, Retired, Arcata High School, Arcata
Swag Chair Lori Campbell, Kern Learn, Bakersfield
Volunteer Coordinators Angus Dunstan, Retired, CSU Sacramento
Stephanie Johnson, CSU Long Beach
President’s Reception Robb Polski, Independence High School, Bakersfield
College Credit Chair Kim Flachmann, CSU Bakersfield
CYRM Speaker Coordinator Amanda Patrick, Arvin High School, Arvin
Meal Decor Chair Julie Johnson and Greg Johnson, Central Valley
Continuation High School, Bakersfield
New Teacher Booth Chair Susan Dillon, Central Catholic High School, Modesto
Convention Photographer James Campbell
Program Sessions Chair Carole LeCren, La Jolla High School, San Diego
Signs Chair April Parker, Huntington Park High School, Huntington Park
Speaker Hospitality Stephanie Chavez, Arvin High School, Arvin
Additional Committee Members Beau Latimer, Independence High School, Bakersfield
Jill Hamilton-Bunch, Point Loma Nazarene University
Mindy Montanio, Kern High School District, Bakersfield
Vicki Kurtz, Hoopa High School, Redwood
CATE Treasurer Denise Mikkonen, Stone Ranch Elementary, Poway
Exhibits/Advertising Manager Teri Higgins, eventPower
Registration Kate Coelin, eventPower
Registration Liaison Cindy Conlin, Stratham, New Hampshire
Flyer/Program Publication Carole LeCren, La Jolla High School, San Diego
Printer Rick and Carol Benson, Golden Ink Litho, San Diego