10 miles for the New Captains of the Gate New Jersey Teachers

Today 10 miles is dedicated to Mr. Bass and Newark New Jersey’s New Captains of the Gate. I found them at NJTV News community room on June 30, 2015. Shout their names to the heavens, and tell the world all is not lost. Our Captain have spoken out, they are standing on that bridge of hope for us. Shout their names:
Dr. Monica Taylor, Associate Professor State University,
Al Moussab, East Side High School,
Liz Carletta, East Side High School,
Antonio Iglesias, East Side High School, and
Terry Moore, Save Our Schools March, Our Children/Our Schools
Just when it appeared Governor Christie and his for profit education reformers could not be beat. When NJTV called saying sorry Jesse.. Christie bumps your truth….

Dr. Taylor, Terry Moore and Liz Carletta and Antonio Iglesias showed up at the Lincoln Memorial in Newark saying ready to walk Walking Man?
So we walked, and soon joined by Communities United and the Newark Students union. Marching together into that Community room at NJTV, and we held the bridge to hope.

As I sat hearing Dr. Taylor praise her East Side High Teachers, and those teachers praise her as they shared their story of defiance. Governor Christie’s appointed Superintendent Cami Anderson told them their school had to become a “turn around school”, because of their low test scores….They researched every turn around they knew would eventually close, and become a for profit charter school.

They were told there was no choice, and they had to sign the Superintendent’s “turn around contract.”  Face with threats of school closure, retaliation and non renewals the teachers of East Side High school would stand together against these bullies of Ed Reform scammers. Parents and students stood with them as well. For in the eyes of the students and parents of East Side School, their school and their teachers were not failures, but successes. The teachers refused to sign on to Cami’s turn around deal. Ready for what ever was to come they stood united, they stood tall and strong. This show of strength ended up in keeping East Side High School opened and free from any turn around madness.  This story of Dr. Taylor saying this is not about education reform, but about injustice. She convinced the teachers to take a social justice stance, and teachers standing united, teachers taking their case to the people, and winning. This story needs to be told over and over again across the nation. These are my New Captains of the Gate.

Why called them New Captains of the Gate?

It was in the seventh grade that I first heard of Brave Horatius the Captain of the Gate. Mr. Bass went off the curriculum he gave his ghetto kids an epic poem Brave Horatius Captain of the Gate written by Lord Macaulay Thomas Babington. It was far above our reading levels, and much further from the experiences of the lives we were living. We moan, complained, and said it’s too long, it sounds strange. In today’s era of the Common Core no teacher would dare give his or her seventh graders such a poem. Mr. Bass would throw that Common Core out the window. He differentiated the curriculum not by reading levels, ability grouping, or any mandated curriculum. He differentiated the curriculum by giving students who lives had experienced three assassinations, (a president, a civil rights hero, and a senator), and saw hundreds of riots unfold daily on television. He differentiated the curriculum giving us what we needed to become men and women of honor. We were his students, the ones who saw anti-war protest every week on the evening news. Students who join right in when Barry McGuire started singing “Eve of Destruction.”
“You tell me

Over and over and over again, my friend

Ah, you don't believe

We're on the eve

Of destruction.”

We began to believe noting really mattered anymore. Our lives were living Barry’s lyrics…

“Think of all the hate there is in Red China

Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama

You may leave here for 4 days in space

But when you return, it's the same old place

The poundin' of the drums, the pride and disgrace

You can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace

Hate your next-door neighbor, but don't forget to say grace

And, tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend

You don't believe

We're on the eve

Of destruction”

Seeing our acceptance a world on the eve of destruction. Knowing that not only was our world falling to pieces on the nightly news, it was also falling to pieces in our homes as well. So Mr. Bass deviated from the proscribed curriculum of Yankee Doddle Dandy.
He did what teachers since Socrates have done; he challenged his students view of the world. He sat on his desk, closed his history book, and asked us this one question. Since you believe this is the end of the world. Are you just going to roll over and die, or fight like hell to save it?
He read it once, again, and again, then had us read it together, and on our own. We started to like this Captain of The Gate, but were still far away from really understanding how it connected to our lives.
Then Mr. Bass had us turn the poem into a play, walk us to the park, and had us live it on a small dirt hill. Suddenly lines started to come alive for us, held meaning for us, and we shouted verses in that dirt hill of meaning.

 XII

“For all the Etruscan armies
    Were ranged beneath his eye,
And many a banished Roman,
    And many a stout ally;
And with a mighty following
    To join the muster came
The Tusculan Mamilius,
    Prince of the Latian name.”

Can you see it boys and girls Tuscan’s armies on the march?

XIII

But by the yellow Tiber
    Was tumult and affright:
From all the spacious champaign
    To Rome men took their flight.
A mile around the city,
    The throng stopped up the ways;
A fearful sight it was to see
    Through two long nights and days.

He said: Imagine an army so large you could see it two days before it even reached you….
Now picture Roman mothers, fathers, and children praying for a miracle…
Now imagine Great Rome Leaders debating what to do, all the while doing noting…
XXVI
But the Consul’s brow was sad,
and the Consul’s speech was low,
And darkly looked he at the wall,
    And darkly at the foe.
‘Their van will be upon us
    Before the bridge goes down;
And if they once may win the bridge,
    What hope to save the town?’

XX
Just then a scout came flying,
    All wild with haste and fear:
‘To arms! to arms! Sir Consul:
    Lars Porsena is here.’
On the lows hills to westward
    The Consul fixed his eye,
And saw the swarthy storm of dust
    Rise fast along the sky.

See their fear, feel the hopeless, and see their world on the eve of destruction…
See Rome surrounded by the river Tiber…Hear the scots rush in saying all is lost Lars Porsena 100,000 soldiers are ready to cross the only bridge in. See the Roman Senators pulling their hair out, cursing the gods, and beaten. ..

Feel their world being crushed, Now Jesse rush up the that hill….Run Jess Then out spoke brave Horatius,
    The Captain of the gate:

“‘To every man upon this earth
    Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
    Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
    And the temples of his Gods,
XXVIII

‘And for the tender mother
    Who dandled him to rest,
And for the wife who nurses
    His baby at her breast,
And for the holy maidens
    Who feed the eternal flame,
To save them from false Sextus
    That wrought the deed of shame?
XXIX

‘Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul,
    With all the speed ye may;
I, with two more to help me,
    Will hold the foe in play.
In yon strait path a thousand
    May well be stopped by three.
Now who will stand on either hand,
    And keep the bridge with me?’

Now run up that hill Jose, run George run….

“Then out spake Spurius Lartius;
    A Ramnian proud was he:
‘Lo, I will stand at thy right hand,
    And keep the bridge with thee.’
And out spake strong Herminius;
    Of Titian blood was he:
‘I will abide on thy left side,
    And keep the bridge with thee.’”

On that little mound of dirt we would come to understand our world was worth fighting for, dying for, and more important living for. I have live my life striving to be that Captain of the Gate.

So teachers let us run up that hill. The time to stop that hoard of education deformers at the doors of our public schools is here. Join me as I walk to DC.
Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the Gate:
“To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his Gods”

This 10 is for those new captains of the gate that held the bridge in that community room
Dr. Taylor,

Al Moussab,

Liz Carletta,

Antonio Iglesias, and
Terry Moore who brought us all together to defend our public schools.
You my fellow captains,
Lift me,
Inspire me,
Compel me to walk,
Thank you,
Jesse

If you are wondering what the Walking Man is listening to today on his walk...it's Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction"
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A0LEV1tOo6ZVKOsAoIJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyMmNoam01BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjA0ODZfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=eve+of+destruction&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Deve%2Bof%2Bdestruction%26ei%3DUTF-8&fr=%26fr%3Daaplw&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.F%252fXejWjrYSw9QwnpGi7lwg%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fen.musicplayon.com%2Fplay%3Fv%3D321762&tit=Barry+McGuire+-+Eve+Of+Destruction+%281965%29&l=3%3A29&vid=e2dbbbcee613cab0ea5f066b0560ea24&sigr=117oerh33&sigb=11tmtuvf5&sigt=119in7lth&sigi=121iupv7f

SOS Go Fund Me shout out, I see a day coming where millions are marching..

A few pictures from some walk stops on my way to DC.
Some people are asking if my walk has a website. I am a one man PR machine with limited resources. I am using Facebook to pushed the walk. I am an activist that has for over a decade been fighting against high-stakes testing and NCLB.
In 2010 I stepped outside my local comfort fighting zone. I decided to push things nationally started walking to DC. Had no idea where it would lead me, but understood that silence and apathy was destroying our public schools. I do remember writing one of those Anthony Cody letters to President Obama, and understanding that no one in DC was listening to teachers. I started this blog right here, and a Facebook group called "Children Are more than test scores."

I have no budget, no grants, no support staff, but I do have two feet made for walking, a voice made for talking, and a pen made for writing. I am not perfect or some kind of hero. I am a man on a quest for justice for our children, their teachers and public schools.
I believe in the "Power of One...that math concept that explains if you double a number starting with one..in 30 days you have millions. I see this struggle not in terms of 30 days, but a long term Power of One battle for the salvation of our children and our democracy.
So no website people, but a big heart, an open mind, and two strong feet made for walking. My faith in every day Americans to do the right thing inspires me. I see a time of millions marching coming. I see it coming sooner not later.
I read Man Of LaMancha when I was 10 years old, and fell in love with the thought of a knight errand on a quest to do right. I am in love with fighting the good fight.
I believe victory is coming, and even if I fall I know I am the better for it. As sure as night turns to day I see change coming.
Walking to DC,
Jesse

PS, I am 11 days from DC, could use a little help with my Go Fund Me campaign. I have been asking people to give 10 dollars for 10 miles. Every 10 dollars helps cover the cost of my Walking To DC campaign. No pressure, give if you can, and know just reading my blog inspires me to walk.
http://www.gofundme.com/JesseWalkingToDC

If you are wondering what song this walking man was listening to it's Eric Clapton's Change The World.
https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AirSAQZv63E7A5oZfwtpjsKbvZx4?fr=yfp-t-901-s&toggle=1&fp=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=youtube%20change%20the%20world%20eric%20clapton

10 miles for SOS NJ and NJ Communities United, real heroes living outside Christie's bubble

 

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Catching up on Walking Man New Jersey news and my dedication shout outs!

On June 30 I was bumped from NJTV News by Governor Chris Christie’s presidential kick off announcement. While the Governor spoke to a small group of millionaires, party faithful, and mainstream media inside Livingston High Schools, over a thousand of his citizens were crying no way signs outside. I know, because I was outside with Jersey citizens who have had enough of him, and spoke about how the governor of CT, NY, and NJ are all in the house of high stakes testing pain for children. Different political parties, different states, but the same pain and the same education scam reform plans.

July 3, 2015 10 miles was dedicated to two of New Jersey’s “feet on the ground” organizations fighting against for profit charter schools and high-stakes testing. These 10 miles are for our mighty, migthy warriors of justice "Save Our Schools New Jersey" and New Jersey Communities United.
The press often misses anything outside their bubble village of the powerful, the connected, and the wealthy.  The village is less a village, and more an elite club of profiteers whose mission is to milk every dollar they can out of our public schools. Mainstream media is part of that village of elites. They have over the past decade increasingly become mere talking heads rather than on the ground news. This explains the unprecedented decline in viewers in my humble opinion. I’m a Jersey City Boy myself, grew up in Jersey, went to Ferris High School in Jersey City, have three degrees from New Jersey City University. I grew up outside the bubble village. I don’t know any billionaires, I don’t wine and dine with senators and governors, and not one person on Wall Street even knows my name. I do know New Jersey’s everyday people; you know parents, teachers, those struggling to make mortgage payments, and those living from paycheck to pay check. You know the ones the bubble village people never engage in conversations, and then pretend to understand. I can hear their village singing that Arthur song from Camelot  “What do simple folk do?”…They sit around and wonder what royal folk would do…. And that's what simple folk do.”
Seriously does anyone really think Governor Christie will be in it at the end? His state approval outside the bubble village has fallen to 30 percent. My thinking is those living in the bubble village of the powerful in 2016 are going to learn that we are the many and they are the few. No Justice! No Votes!
On Christie’s big announce day mainstream media did what it always does it chased the news inside the village bubble. While they made much to do about nothing, I met with New Jersey real citizens. We packed the Community Room at NJTV on 6-30-15. There was not one empty chair in the room. We discussed the news the bubble village has ignores. We share the efforts of Jersey people that have been fighting back against the disastrous education reforms of the past 13 years.  Tell Arthur and his bubble people, the simple folk are never idle, and we always talk about real things. Someday that bubble will burst, and the people will be there to clean up the mess left behind.

Margaret Mead said: “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Before our meeting “the simple folks marched from the Lincoln Memorial on Market Street in Newark to NJTV. Teachers, Workers Caucus members, Newark Students United members, and retired teacher Terry Moore and Dr. Monica Taylor chanting:
Whose schools? Our schools!
Whose children? Our children!
Whose communities? Our Communities!
No justice! No Votes!

Time to dedicate 10 miles for my heroes of the day

As we gathered in the NJTV News Community room I would come to hear the truths of all those gather, and their solutions of hope for New Jersey public schools. I would come to hear about the good works of Save Our School New Jersey. ( http://www.saveourschoolsnj.org ) from Susan Cauldwell and Lisa Winters. They shared SOS NJ’s fight for every child to have access to a high-quality public education. I learned Save Our Schools NJ began in 2010 as a successful effort by a small group of parents to pass a local school budget, but grew to become a statewide organization with over 35,000 members. I reflected how they began during my first walk to DC in 2010. They have grown to over 35,000 savvy members pushing positive school reform legislation through legislators in Trenton.  They know the data; New Jersey’s public schools have always rated as one of the highest scoring states for public education in the nation. Something Governor Christie seldom mentions. They proudly state; “Save Our Schools NJ’s goals are to protect and preserve New Jersey’s excellent public schools by:

• Keeping the community at large and our legislators informed about issues that directly impact our children’s education, both locally and at the state level
• Establishing a statewide network of individuals willing to advocate in support of public education

We believe every child should have access to a high-quality, publicly funded education.

• High-quality education requires safe and adequate school facilities; excellent instruction that incorporates children’s individual needs; and a curriculum that includes art, music, sports and world languages.

We believe publicly-funded schools should be democratically controlled by and accountable to their local communities, and uphold the highest values of those communities. 

• Publicly-funded schools must not segregate or discriminate against children on the basis of income, English proficiency, special needs, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.
• Publicly-funded schools must be fully transparent, including their educational outcomes and the sources and uses of their public and private funding.

We believe publicly-funded education must focus exclusively on our children’s growth and development, not on making profits or punishing communities. 

• For-profit corporations have no place in teaching or management at publicly-funded schools.
• Assessments at publicly-funded schools should be created and implemented to improve and tailor instruction, not for punitive or profit-making purposes.

Who could argue with those goals? Who would not consult with them on all issues on education in New Jersey? You got it those bubble people, and their Ed Reform idols.
As I came to know SOS NJ members in the room I came to see them as middle class mothers working hard to raise their families. The very Soccer Moms Secretary Arne Duncan so often underestimates and dismisses. As overly protective parents worried their babies might not do well on Common Core tests.   Too bad Duncan has failed to listen to them. Too bad mainstream media doesn’t give them the air time they give to those bubble head village people who have no clue about what is happening in our public schools.  The word from this Walking Man is Save Our Schools New Jersey is genuine heroes defending their public schools. They are real giants in our fight to take back our schools form the bubble village profiteers. 

Next I heard from New Jersey Communities United, (http://unitednj.nationbuilder.com/). NJCU a progressive grassroots community organization committed to building power for low and moderate income people, predominantly in Newark share their successes and on the ground truths.
Roberto Cabanas their Field organizer, and Community organizers Alex Garcia, Juan Pablo Orjuela, Bryan Lowe, and Kristin Towkaniuk explained NJCU works to ensure that everyone has access to the American Dream. They give voice to the hopes and dreams of low and moderate-income communities, communities of color, and immigrant Americans though collective action.
In was clear they are in your face activists working to hold government and corporations accountable, improve the health of our families, economy and environment, and reform our public schools, workplaces and financial institutions. In other words these are my kind of Jersey people. They represent the voices those bubble villagers (Profit Charter Schools, Cami Anderson, and Governor Christie) have never sat down with to have a sincere conversation about our public schools. They work with parents, teachers, and students to fight for education, against home foreclosures, and for justice for workers. They have given the New Students Union a place to meet, grow, and be mentored. That alone makes them heroes and giants in my book, but they do so much more then fight for education. They are a grassroots organization deeply rooted in all issue of social justice.
Imagine if Governor Christie sat down with these tow groups, listened deeply to their concerns, and possible solutions. Imagine if Governor Christie open his offices, listened learned, and worked with the citizens of his own state. If he did that he wouldn’t have to run away from his own state.
The truth that SOS NJ and Communities United share on June 30, 2015 inspired me, taught me new insights, lifted me up, and compels to continue to walking, talking, and learning from students, parents, teachers, and activists. While mainstream media was chasing Governor Christie all around New England, I met with New Jersey real heroes of public education. William Arthur Ward said: "Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work."
Here is to SOS NJ and NJCU  whose organization do more than dream.

When our meeting ended I sang that
You’re not too heavy SOS NJ,
You’re not too heavy Communities United,
We can carry you,
We can lift you up,
Thank you SOS NJ and Communities United for lifting me up,
Jesse

If you like to hear what song the Walking Man was listening to this morning on his walk to DC, it's Rage Against The Machine's "No Shelter" https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=aaplw&p=rage+against+the+machine