Month: May 2022

Our mom, Sandra Day O’Connor, knew something about politics that America forgot

Posted on by icivics
Sandra Day Oconnor

Opinion: Some of the most important work our mom, Sandra Day O’Connor, ever did occurred away from the Supreme Court spotlight, in homes and classrooms.

It’s been more than 40 years since our mother made history.

Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female associate justice in the nearly 200-year history of the Supreme Court. The 1981 Senate vote to confirm was 99-0, which seems unfathomable in today’s politically polarized times.

Twelve years later, in 1993, Mom welcomed the second female associate justice in the history of the high court when the Senate confirmed Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also by an impressive margin, 96-3.

This was Bipartisanship with a capital “B.”

And now, President Biden has signed legislation to erect statues of these two women legal pioneers somewhere on the U.S. Capitol grounds after unanimous consent in the Senate and an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote in the House.

The overwhelming support for the statues of these two women with very different backgrounds speaks to something missing from much of today’s politics: respect for the other. Disagreeing without being disagreeable. Understanding that the other point of view is not intended to ruin the country.

Read the full article on USA Today.

Written by Jay O’Connor and Scott O’Connor

Jay O’Connor is a software industry executive. Scott O’Connor is a commercial real estate developer.

Philanthropy Leader Larry Kramer Named iCivics Board Chair

Posted on by icivics

Kramer, President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, succeeds Wendy May-Dreyer, and will guide iCivics as it continues its expanded scope of work.

CAMBRIDGE, MA [May 17, 2022] – iCivics, the nation’s leader in civic education, today announced Larry Kramer, President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, as its new Board Chair. Kramer succeeds Wendy May-Dreyer, who took over from founder Sandra Day O’Connor and led the board for two three-year terms.

In recent years, iCivics has expanded its scope and embarked on an ambitious strategic plan to realize its vision of a thriving American democracy supported by informed and civically engaged young people. The leading provider of K-12 civic education content, iCivics creates free, nonpartisan online games and digital resources that are now used by more than half of middle and high school students across the country.

Kramer will lead iCivics as it continues its work to make civic education a national priority in order to sustain and strengthen our constitutional democracy. As part of these efforts, iCivics continues to lead efforts to implement a roadmap developed by more than 300 experts from across the viewpoint spectrum that states and school districts can use to achieve excellence in civics and history education. iCivics also leads a coalition of more than 200 organizations working to advance the civic mission of schools.

“It’s an honor to lead the board of iCivics and to work with its talented team and broad coalition of partners to strengthen civic education, which is essential for a robust and healthy democracy,” Kramer said. “iCivics is doing critical work to ensure that every young person has the knowledge and skills necessary to be an informed, engaged participant in civic life.”

As President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation since 2012, Kramer has guided the foundation in maintaining its commitment to enduring issues such as education while responding to pressing and timely problems, such as political polarization and cybersecurity. Kramer previously served as the Richard E. Lang Professor of Law and Dean of Stanford Law School. Earlier in his career, he served as law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr..

Kramer succeeds May-Dreyer, under whose leadership iCivics grew from reaching 48,000 to 145,000 educators, and serving up to 9 million students. During May-Dreyer’s tenure as Board Chair, Educating for American Democracy and the CivXNow Coalition were both initiated, and contributions to iCivics more than quadrupled. May-Dreyer also founded and chairs the Texas Civic Education Coalition, a cross-ideological coalition of more than 40 organizations with a mission to improve civic education in Texas.

“We’re incredibly excited that Larry Kramer has agreed to become iCivics’ next Board Chair and believe that he is the perfect fit for the organization as it reaches a new growth point,” iCivics Executive Director Louise Dubè said. “Larry’s experience in the nonprofit sector, and his knowledge of the education and political fields – along with his legal expertise – will help steward iCivics into its next phase.”

AAPI Heritage Month: Lesson Plans and Resources for the Classroom

Posted on by Luke O'Connor

Updated for May 2023

 The month of May honors the generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) who have enriched the history of the United States and continue to ensure its success. In celebration of this month that presents an opportunity to introduce classroom discussions and reflections about the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our collective history, we are sharing resources from iCivics to support learning and conversations in the classroom.

Four iCivics Resources to Use This Month

VIDEO: Patsy Mink: Changing the Rules

In this video, students meet Patsy Takemoto Mink, a third-generation Japanese American born and raised in Hawaii, who was the first woman of color elected to Congress.

LESSON: United States v. Wong Kim Ark

This mini-lesson introduces students to Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco, California, to Chinese immigrant parent. He sued the United States to be recognized as a citizen, and his case led the Supreme Court to establish that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted citizenship to almost everyone born in the United States.

LESSON: Korematsu v. United States

Students will meet Fred Korematsu, a U.S. citizen born in the United States to Japanese parents who refused to relocate to an internment camp during World War II. This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court’s decision that the government acted constitutionally in interning Japanese Americans, and explores the effects of this decision.

LESSON: Lau v. Nichols

In this mini-lesson, students learn about Kenney Kimmon Lau who, when the schools in San Francisco were integrated, was one of the 1,800 students of Chinese ancestry who did not speak English but were placed into classes taught only in English. His case resulted in the Supreme Court decision that required public schools to provide language supports to English and multilingual learners.

iCivics Educator Network Grows to More Than 350 Civics and History Teachers

Posted on by icivics

iCivics, the country’s largest provider of civic education curriculum today announced that it has added 134 new members to its Educator Network. The iCivics Educator Network is made up of more than 350 civics, history, government, and social studies teachers from almost every state in the nation who serve as champions and ambassadors for high-quality equitable civic education.

The Educator Network enables teachers to share best practices in civics and social studies, playing a key role in helping to empower students to engage as citizens in this country’s constitutional democracy, now and in the future. It provides opportunities for teachers to network with their peers, take part in focus groups, beta test new games and products, engage in special professional development opportunities, and build their voices as advocates for high-quality history and civic education.

“The iCivics Educator Network is more than a professional development and affinity group. An integral part of iCivics’ work, it’s a community that has developed over the past 11 years through which our best social studies and civics teachers are building a movement to reinstate the civic mission of schools in every corner of this country,” said Natacha Scott, iCivics Director of Educator Engagement. “Together these educators have worked through some of the most challenging times teachers have ever faced.”

Since it was founded in 2011, many iCivics Educator Network members have become some of the most prominent voices from the field advocating for civic education through the opportunities that the network provides. They are permanent fixtures as speakers at prestigious education conferences, routinely appear in both national and local media, and are recognized as excelling in the classroom.

The iCivics Educator Network includes educators with a variety of talents, interests, and teaching histories representing a diversity of grade levels K–12, geographic areas, and personal demographics. And the teachers who join the network stay a part of the network, as more than 240 members of this year’s cohort are returning, bringing our total to more than 350 educators.

“The iCivics Educator Network has provided me and my students with a platform like the youth civics fellowship to share our passion and elevate the need for equitable civic education throughout the country,” said Michael Martirone, a high school social studies teacher in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, and an ed net member since 2016. “I have been invited to serve as a panelist and explain why this is the time to fund civic education and give my perspective from the classroom on other topics, as well. The iCivics Educator Network has given me the opportunity not only to teach civics, but to become a part of it.”

For more information about the iCivics Educator Network, and to find out how you can apply to be a part of the next cohort, visit icivics.org/our-network.