Wednesday, December 11, 2013 RESOLUTION FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK
A resolution adopted by the City Council ofthe City of Chicago, sponsored by Alderman Debra L. Silverstein, 50th Ward -
WHEREAS, Computer Science Education Week highlights the crucial role that computer science plays in transforming our society and how computer science enables innovation in all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines and creates economic opportunities;
WHEREAS, computing technology has become an integral part of culture and is transforming how people interact with each other and the world around them;
WHEREAS, computer science is transforming industry, creating new fields of commerce, driving innovation in all fields of science, and bolstering productivity in established economic sectors;
WHEREAS, the field of computer science underpins the information technology sector of our economy, which is a significant contributor to United States economic output;
WHEREAS, the information technology sector is uniquely positioned to help with economic recovery through the research and development of new innovations;
WHEREAS, Computer Science Education Week can inform students, teachers, parents, and the general public about the crucial role that computer science plays in transforming our society and how computer science enables innovation in all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines and creates economic opportunities;
WHEREAS, providing students the chance to participate in high-quality computer science activities exposes them to the rich opportunities the field offers and provides critical thinking skills that will serve them throughout their lives;
WHEREAS, all students deserve a thorough preparation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, including access to the qualified teachers, technology, and age-appropriate curriculum needed to learn computer science at the elementary and secondary levels of education;
WHEREAS, these subjects provide the critical foundation to master the skills demanded by our 21st century workforce;
WHEREAS, computer science education has challenges to address, including distinguishing computer science from technology literacy and providing adequate professional development for computer science teachers;
WHEREAS, the field of computer science has significant equity barriers to address, including attracting more participation by females and underrepresented minorities to all levels and branches;
WHEREAS, Grace Murray Hopper, one of the first females in the field of computer science, engineered new programming languages and pioneered standards for computer systems which laid the foundation for many advancements in computer science; and
WHEREAS, the week of December 4, in honor of Grace Hopper's birthday, is designated as 'Computer Science Education Week': Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED on the 11th day of December 2013 that the Chicago City Council -
- supports the designation of Computer Science Education Week;
- encourages schools, teachers, researchers, universities, and policymakers to identify mechanisms for teachers to receive cutting edge professional development to provide sustainable learning experiences in computer science at all education levels and encourage students to be exposed to computer science concepts;
- encourages opportunities, including through existing programs, for females and underrepresented minorities in computer science and;
- supports research in computer science to address what would motivate increased participation in this field.
Debra L. Silverstein
Alderman, 50th Ward City of Chicago