Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 31
CHAPTER 25
Relative to Women’s History Month and women’s history curriculum.
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Filed with
Secretary of State
April 18, 2001.
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LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 31, Strom-Martin.
Women’s history.
This measure would urge all Californians to celebrate Women’s History Month and join in the commemoration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2001. This measure would also urge all California public school districts to add an accurate and inclusive women’s history component into approved curriculum and provide the corresponding educational materials for pupils in grades 1 to 12, inclusive. This measure would further urge the State Board of Education to ensure that the state curriculum framework includes accurate and inclusive instruction on the accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history and ensure that state criteria for selecting textbooks include information to guide the selection of textbooks that emphasize the accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history.
Digest Key
WHEREAS, Women of every race, culture, class, and ethnic background have participated in the founding and building of our nation and have made important and heroic contributions to the growth and strength of California, the nation, and the world in countless recorded and unrecorded ways; and
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month will include International Women’s Day on March 8, originally proclaimed in 1910, to recognize and commemorate the valuable contributions women have made to the labor movement; and
WHEREAS, The state and national observance of Women’s History Month began with a local observance of women’s history in public schools initiated in the fall of 1977 by the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women; and
WHEREAS, The National Women’s History Project has adopted “Celebrating Women of Courage and Vision” as the theme for Women’s History Month 2001, inviting all Californians to honor the courage and vision of all women, those famous and those known to only a few, whose lives have inspired others; and
WHEREAS, Women have played and continue to play a critical economic, cultural, and social role in every aspect of life by constituting a significant portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the home; and
WHEREAS, Women have made significant achievements and valuable contributions in many fields, including science, government, sports, music, art, literature, business, education, technology, medicine, and journalism; and
WHEREAS, Women were early leaders in the forefront of every major progressive social change movement, including the struggle to secure their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity, the abolitionist movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, the peace movement, and other movements which helped create a more fair and just society for all; and
WHEREAS, The year 2001 celebrates the 90th anniversary of California women winning the right to vote; and
WHEREAS, California is the first state in the Union to elect two women to serve in the United States Senate; Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer; and
WHEREAS, California is the only state to host two Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams; the Los Angeles Sparks and the Sacramento Monarchs; and
WHEREAS, Despite these extensive contributions the role of women in history has been consistently overlooked and undervalued in the literature, teaching, and study of history in California public schools; and
WHEREAS, Education of California’s children about the important achievements and contributions made by women is in the best interest of all Californians and the future of this state, and will better enable girls and boys to gain an understanding of today’s world and to work together to create a future with fewer barriers, greater opportunities, and respect for all people; and
WHEREAS, The celebration of Women’s History Month will provide an opportunity for schools and communities to focus attention on the important historical role and accomplishments of women, and for students in particular to benefit from an awareness of these contributions; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California takes pleasure in honoring the important contributions of women throughout history, and proclaims the month of March 2001 as Women’s History Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California urges all Californians to celebrate Women’s History Month and join in the commemoration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2001; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California urges all California public school districts to add an accurate and inclusive women’s history component into approved curriculum and provide the corresponding educational materials for pupils in grades 1 to 12, inclusive; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California urges the State Board of Education to ensure that the state curriculum framework includes accurate and inclusive instruction on the accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of California urges the State Board of Education to ensure that state criteria for selecting textbooks include information to guide the selection of textbooks that emphasize the accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the California Commission on the Status of Women, and all local commissions on the status of women.