Children are not failing you are failing them!

An interesting conversation, I had last week with an Ed Consultant sharing Connecticut Smarter Balance Test Scores "I am tired of the evil eye looks from teachers at my PDs. I am only sharing the data that shows children are failing. They need to get over it and start doing something different."

My reply: Perhaps they are wondering when policymakers, CEOs, and legislators are going to catch on, It is not the children who are failing. It is 20 years of your policies that are failing! Maybe those eyes are wondering you are going to give up on those old and failing policies. Perhaps we are all wondering when you realize your status quo is failing our children.
 

Maybe our nation's policymakers need to get over it and start doing something different. Perhaps giving teachers in Black and Brown schools the same resources and supports they give to those White Affluent schools?

Not one of us should be satisfied in a system that gives more to wealthy schools than to poor schools.

For 170 plus years the data has shown wealthy schools not only score higher on standardized tests, but they are funded better. Big Hint America, Black and Brown children are not falling through the cracks, inequity is pushing them through your immoral status quo cracks. 

I have often wondered what would happen if we switched this status quo funding around.
What if we gave Black, Brown, and Poor schools all the bells and whistles?
What if we flooded poor schools with art, music, librarians, social workers, counselors, play, and project-based learning?

What would happen if we took away recess, Physical education, art, music, librarians, counselors, and project learning from wealthy White Schools?
Switch it around, and let us see whose scores would be rising, and which children would be having behavioral issues.
But, better yet do the right thing. Give every school the resources and supports needed to reach all children.

Equity is not some children get more, and others less.
Equity is not school choice policies that demand poor schools compete against each other for limited resources. You can't blame children, parents, teachers, and public schools for this School To Prison Pipeline endorse and supported by our courts, our legislators, and racists for 170 years and counting.

Equity is giving every child what they need to succeed. I have not met policymakers fighting for genuine equity. It always ends being about test scores and standards without equity.

Any education system that gives more to some, and less to others. Is IMMORAL and CORRUPT.

If you are not fighting it, then you are part of the problem,

Dr. Jesse P. Turner Education Ambassador Moral Monday Connecticut 

If you like to listen to the song that inspired my morning walk today its Cosby, Still, and Nash cover of Teach Your Children by Play for Change https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZIx55cFf-o