NCSS, as represented by state councils, communities, and associated groups, to

bring ideas, principles, beliefs, and actions regarding social studies education to the

attention of the Board of Directors. Resolutions are the framework through which

the NCSS membership at-large makes recommendations to the NCSS Board of

Directors.

Any NCSS member can submit a resolution for consideration following the

guidelines established in the House of Delegates manual. Resolutions are debated

and voted on during the second session of the HOD meeting at the NCSS annual

conference. Resolutions that are passed by the HOD are discussed and voted on by

the NCSS Board of Directors following the NCSS annual conference at the Board’s

*Spring meeting. During this meeting the Board discusses each of the resolutions to

determine if it will help the Council reach its short and long-term strategic goals.

Staff begins working on implementing the resolutions passed by the Board of

Directors as soon as possible and feasible during the current and incoming fiscal

years.

Promoting Citizenship through Philanthropy

SPONSOR: Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies

COSPONSOR: The Association of Teachers of Social Studies / United Federation of

Teachers – New York City (ATSS/UFT), New York State Council for the Social

Studies

WHEREAS NCSS advocates for an educated and actively engaged citizenry, who

explores the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to persistent,

contemporary and emerging local, national, and global issues;

WHEREAS NCSS fosters the educational literacy of interdependence among

individuals, groups, and nations;

WHEREAS NCSS promotes student understanding about local, national, and global

issues of public concern from multiple points of view,

WHEREAS NCSS encourages the understanding of empathy through the analysis

of perceptions, attitudes, values and beliefs of personal, community, and national

identity;

BE IT RESOLVED that NCSS continue to promote a more planet friendly

conference through Going Green 1 * ,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NCSS continue to set an example of

expectation for conference “give aways” for state and local councils,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED NCSS should incorporate philanthropic “give

aways” within the construct of the NCSS Conference [i.e. promoting sustainable

development, Going Green, Paying-it-Forward (see the Wisconsin Conference “give

aways”)]. These philanthropic ”give aways” can and should be a reflection of the

humanitarian nature promoted by the educational leadership of the NCSS Board of

Directors, membership and standards we teach to our student body. The funds

raised for the “give aways” should support the main cause, i.e. people, at a level of

no lower than 80%.

_____________

1

NCSS Resolution #08-01-3 STEWARDSHIP FOR OUR PLANET: GO GREEN: BE IT

RESOLVED, that the NCSS make every effort to reduce, reuse and recycle in its publications,

conferences, meetings and daily operations by enacting a formal Green Policy. Passed: NCSS 2008 HOD

and BOD.

• Going Green – Going green is a popular term used to describe the process of

changing one's lifestyle for the safety and benefit of the environment. People or

companies who "go green" make decisions about their daily interactions while

considering what impact the outcome of those decisions may have on global

warming, pollution, loss of animal habitats, and other environmental concerns.

There are three changes most people/companies make to "go green." They begin

sustainable living, use environmentally friendly (or green) products, and they

begin recycling and/or reusing as many products as possible.

http://www.thegreenguide.com/

Resolution PASSED by HOD

98.68%-For 1.32%-Against

Advocating for Social Studies in State Standards and Common Core Standards

SPONSORS: The Association of Teachers of Social Studies / United Federation of

Teachers – New York City (ATSS/UFT), New York State Council for the Social

Studies

Co-sponsors: Connecticut Council for the Social Studies, NCSS Assessment

Community

WHEREAS NCSS has historically and consistently promoted an education system

that offers all students – irrespective of neighborhood, race, class or cultural

heritage –to achieve a high, common standard for what they are expected to learn

and be able to do;

WHEREAS NCSS has been deeply involved in the standards movement to ensure

that all students learn what they need, to compete in the global economy and to be

active citizens in our democracy;

WHEREAS NCSS has advocated that reaching the goal of high student achievement

requires the adoption of common state standards that prepare students for college

and career readiness and citizenship in the 21st century. This includes rich and

challenging core curricula in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social

studies; quality early childhood education; teacher education and professional

development; diagnostic, formative and summative assessments; and specialized

interventions for students whose learning styles demand differentiated instruction;

WHEREAS the U.S. Department of Education has supported the adoption of

common core standards as crucial to the improvement of schooling in our nation

and has agreed to fund the development of aligned summative assessments based on

those standards;

WHEREAS many states have signed on to create common core standards in

mathematics and language arts, as a sound first step, and with standards for other

disciplines in development in many states,

BE IT RESOLVED that NCSS encourage states, and advocate within states that

social studies be included in their common state standards,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NCSS help affiliated and associated groups by

preparing materials to help them encourage and advocate for the inclusion of social

studies in the common state standards of their respective states,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NCSS work with the U.S. Department of

Education and members of the United States Congress to encourage and advocate

the inclusion of social studies in common state standards.

Resolution PASSED by HOD

98.62%-For 1.38%-Against

Development and Dissemination of Implementation Examples to the newly

published National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework for

Teaching Learning, and Assessment

Sponsor: The Canada Community

Co-Sponsor: Southern California Social Science Association

WHEREAS the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies has recently been

revised and published in 2010; and,

WHEREAS this volume offers a framework for meeting the Standards; and

WHEREAS the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies cannot contain

every possible example for classroom implementation; and,

WHEREAS it is not economically feasible to revise and reprint on a frequent basis

to include such examples;

BE IT RESOLVED that NCSS Communities, Associated and Affiliated Groups and

Councils be afforded the opportunity to submit examples to this volume, and that

these submissions be available to NCSS members via a specific location on the NCSS

website related to this volume.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NCSS Communities, Associated and Affiliated

Groups and Councils submit the examples as early as a webpage/location can be

practicably developed, and that the submissions be accepted on an ongoing basis.

Resolution PASSED by HOD

98.62%-For 1.38%-Against

Development of Inquiry-Based Pedagogy in Common State Standards

SPONSORS: Connecticut Council for the Social Studies

CO-SPONSORS: The Association of Teachers of Social Studies / United Federation

of Teachers – New York City (ATSS/UFT), New York State Council for the Social

Studies, Tennessee Council for the Social Studies

WHEREAS an educated citizen must have sufficient knowledge and skills to

contribute to both one’s local community and a wider world;

WHEREAS controversy, discourse, debate, compromise and differences of opinions

and values are all part of the democratic experience;

WHEREAS the world beyond the classroom confronts all citizens with controversial

issues and opinions that some might find objectionable;

WHEREAS the Social Studies classroom is an appropriate environment for the

consideration of differing points of view;

BE IT RESOLVED as common state standards for social studies are developed,

NCSS would continue to support social studies standards that challenge students to

explore a range of points of view when considering historical interpretations and

contemporary issues;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED NCSS should seek to develop and support social

studies standards that encourage students to research and evaluate evidence,

analyze and debate alternative viewpoints, and reach defensible conclusions;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED NCSS should collaborate with its partners in

developing common state standards for social studies to make every effort to

encourage diverse perspectives, alternate viewpoints and inquiry;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED NCSS should provide regular reports to its

membership on the adoption and implementation of common state standards that

support and promote inquiry for both teachers and students.

Resolution PASSED by HOD

100%-For 0%-Against

Teaching about anti-Semitism today

SPONSORS: The Association of Teachers of Social Studies / United Federation of

Teachers – New York City (ATSS/UFT)

Co-Sponsors: New York State Council for the Social Studies, Wisconsin Council for

the Social Studies

WHEREAS NCSS provides materials for teaching about genocide, and violations of

human rights in the world today,

WHEREAS NCSS encourages the teaching of values of all religions and respect for

WHEREAS NCSS includes Holocaust Education prominently at its annual

conference program,

WHEREAS anti-Semitism did not stop with the ending of the Holocaust more than

60 years ago,

WHEREAS bombings and attempted bombings of synagogues, desecrating and

painting of swastikas on synagogues and other buildings in Jewish neighborhoods,

and physical attacks on Jews in a number of communities is unfortunately a fact of

life in United States, Europe, South America and other parts of the world,

BE IT RESOLVED that NCSS include in its conference program a workshop or

speaker on teaching about current anti-Semitism, violation of a human right and

respect and understanding of all religions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NCSS include in its publications, material on

teaching about current anti-Semitism.

Resolution PASSED by HOD

90.91%-For .09%-Against

community of NCSS President Steve Goldberg, NCSS Past President and Conference

Co-chair Peggy Altoff, and the Local Arrangements Committee Co-chairs Dorsee

Johnson-Tucker and Chris Elnicki.

2010_HOD_Resolutions