In the Know
CALENDAR
August / September 2020
Hispanic
Heritage Month
I N C A L I F O R N I A , 39 percent of the
population is Latinx; Latinx students
make up about 55 percent of the state's
6 million-plus K-12 students. Educators
can use Hispanic Heritage Month,
Sept. 15–Oct. 15, to celebrate the histo-
ries, cultures and contributions of those
whose ancestry traces back to Spain,
Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and
South America.
Trailblazing examples are numerous.
Sonia Sotomayor, for one, is the first
Hispanic and the third woman to serve
on the U.S. Supreme Court. Her book
Turning Pages: My Life Story is a current
CTA California Reads pick for grades
3-5. In it, she tells young readers how
books helped her to connect with her
family in New York and in Puerto Rico,
deal with a diabetes diagnosis at age
7, and dream of a future for herself in
which anything was possible. "Reading
was like lighting candles, each book a
flame that lit up the world around me."
(For more California Reads recommen-
dations, see page 10.)
Get additional resources and lesson
plans, including primary sources, at
hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
for-teachers.
Stacey
Ilyse
Photography
Women's Equality Day: Are You Voting?
T H E 19 T H A M E N D M E N T , certified Aug. 26, 1920, guarantees all American
women the right to vote. Achieving passage of the amendment took decades
of agitation and protest, starting in 1868. Make sure you've registered to vote
in the November general election; check out CTA's ballot and candidate rec-
ommendations at cta.org/election-2020. Celebrate Women's Equality Day
on Aug. 26 and find resources to help grades K-12 learn about the suffrage
movement at nea.org (search for "Women's Equality Day ").
Honor
Working People!
L A B O R D A Y, S E P T . 7, honors the struggles and achievements of working
people and celebrates their contributions. CTA has been at the forefront of
the labor movement since its founding in 1863, fighting for educators' rights
and a quality education for all students. Labor unions like CTA are working
people who unite to advocate for better pay, safer working and learning
conditions, and decent benefits. Teach students about labor unions; go to
nea.org/labor and follow the link for Labor Curriculum Resources.
8
cta.org