Here I am Lord, let me be their radical witness

Dr. Mark Naison the founder of National Badass Teachers Association, asked all 52,000 BATS.  To become extremist in their actions to defend children, teachers, and local schools.  When I heard Dr. Naison call,  I remember a dreamer unjustly jailed. A man of the cloth, a man of God, a man of love. He who wrote a letter from his prison prison. He call upon American to become extremist for love. He wrote : “Was not Jesus an extremist for love? . . .then he asked: "the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.” So I am answering Dr. Naison's call, and I am answering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. question. What follow is my extremist plan of love for our nation's public schools, their children, and their teachers.

Ring every bell; shout it on every street corner, in every hamlet, and from every mountaintop.

Jesse The Walking Man Turner is walking to Washington DC again.

Tell everyone you know that silence and apathy are not acceptable, when children are turned in data and profits.

Tell every parent,

Every teacher,

Every child,

I hear their cries.

Tell the President,

Tell every Senator,

Tell every member of Congress,

Tell the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan,

That them that the people have a witness,

Tell that witness is coming to DC,

 Proclaiming an end this reign of testing abuse.

Tell every BAT, that the Walking Man is timing his walk to their Washington DC Congress,

Tell parents, students, and teachers I plan on meeting a 1000 parents and teachers on my walk.

I will open my heart, open my soul, and listen deeply to their stories,

I shall carry their tears, their hurt, and hopes to DC,

I will be their witness in in our nation's capitol.

Who Am I?

I have no money,

I have no power,

I am not connected to the politically powerful,

I do not dine with millionaires and billionaires,

Who Am I?

I am an AFT Legacy teacher,

At eight years old, I heard a man share a dream in DC in 63,

Holding on to my grandfather's hand that dreamer's dream,

Fell sweetly into my heart,

Where I have held it closely,

Where it comforted me on dark days,

Where it built my character,

Where it planted my integrity,

Where it planted my hope for better days,

Who Am I?

I am an AFT Legacy Teacher,

And that dream empowers me,

To walk,

To march,

And to bear witness to injustice,

Witness to the 12 years of abuse to our nation's public school children and their teachers.

So you tell everyone,

The Walking Man is coming to DC.

The mission is 400 miles

40 days,

Every step a blessing,
Heeding Martin's call to be an extremist for love,

Love, love, love,

Jesse The Walking Man Turner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BRZUlpO75Q If you want to know who I was listening to on my walk today? It was Barry Lane "Jesse Turner Walking Man"