Justice requires action. Action requires marching.

Robert F. Kennedy said about the pursuit of justice: "The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use-of how to get men of power to live for the Public rather than off the public."  
I'm sitting here today wondering what Senator Kennedy would say about an education reform movement that lives off the public seeking to privatize our nation's public schools?  My thinking is, if Senator Robert F. Kennedy were alive last month, he would have joined the marchers at the Save Our Schools March for Public Education and Social Justice; just like he supported Cesar Chavez and the migrant farm workers in their struggle against the growers in California.  Justice requires Action. He would have marched with us, because we were marching for Public Education and Social Justice.  What matters about marching for Public Education and Social Justice, is that we still need to march; and are you still marching?  This struggle is so much more than one simple march.

Justice requires Action.  

Diane Ravitch has become one of our most vocal outspoken opponents of high-stakes testing, national standards and a national curriculum, (CCSS), and inequity in our public schools. Some out there complain that Ravitch was not marching in 2000. Who cares? She marched in 2011; and then again in 2016.  I salute her willingness to grow and learn.  She is the only policy maker I know to admit she was wrong.  And more importantly, with her admission she decided to take up the cause of what is Right. Very few education reformers, policy makers, researchers, and politicians have the guts to do what she has done.  To change. To fight harder than ever for that change.
I applaud Diane Ravitch for refusing to stay with the pack.
I applaud her for stopping for just a moment, standing up, realizing she was wrong, and then using her voice in support us.
I salute Diane Ravitch for marching in 2011 and again in 2016.
I salute her for being the only education historian committed to telling the truth, even if it means admitting she was wrong initially.
I salute her for standing against the powerful elite, and choosing instead what's right for children, parents, and teachers.
WHEN you started marching matters less than "Are you marching today?"

In Diane Ravitch's new edition of The Death and Life of the Great American School System (2016) she writes:
"The original version of this book I criticized testing and choice, but continued my long-standing advocacy for national standards and a common national curriculum.  I thought that if every child experienced the same engaging curriculum, then every one of them would have a great education. Wrong again. I have come to realize that "high standards" and "rigorous testing" do not promote equity; instead, they produce high rates of failure for many students and widen the gap between those at the bottom and those at the top. Inevitably, those who fail to jump over an unrealistically high bar will be the children who need extra help and resources; they will be disproportionately impoverished children of color, children with handicaps, and English-language learners ... Standards on their own do not address the root causes of poor academic performance, which are generational poverty, racial segregation, and inequitable resources" (prologue xxiii-xxiv).

Justice Requires Action.  Action requires work. 

The old bible parable Matthew 20:1-16: The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, where the workers in the field are paid to pick grapes for the land owner who sees a storm coming.  He needs his all his grapes picked today.  He offers one wage.  Some workers begin early in the morning; some don't start till noon.  By late afternoon he sees the need for more workers; they don't start working till near the end of the day.  Once the task was complete, some workers complain "it's unfair" The land owner reminds them that they accepted the wage that was offered to them; he had done no wrong... In my mind, it's the very same with our struggle for public education and social justice today. There is only one wage "Justice in our public schools for all".  

Justice Requires Action. Action requires marching.

In 2010 when Save Our Schools was planning our march against NCLB/RTTT, Rita Slonet from Parents Across America contacted me to inform me that Ravitch would be speaking at Yale about her book "The Life and Death of the Great American School System" and suggested I attend.  I went to the event accompanied by my wife a Hartford Public School teacher. After the event I had the opportunity to speak with Diane, and I asked her if she could possibly come to DC to speak at our rally and march ~ even though we didn't have a dime to pay her.  She knew of me, "Jesse Turner, the guy who just walked from Connecticut to DC right?"  Yup ~ that guy. She said she would think about it...  Carolyn and I started walking towards our car. Well, at least I had asked her...  Before I started the car, Rita was calling me to confirm that indeed yes, Diane would come to speak at The Save Our Schools Conference, Rally and March in July 2011.

To the rumblers ~ Justice Requires Action. Action requires marchers. It doesn't matter when you started marching for justice in our public schools. What matters is, are you ready to march now?  

In 2016 Save Our Schools March gathered a coalition for public education and social justice for another march on DC. Dr. Ravitch had released her 2nd edition book; we invited her to speak with us again. She did.  

Who marched in DC for Equity and Justice in Public Education and Social Justice on July 8, 2016?

Diane Ravitch: Marched,
Jonathan Kozol: Marched,
Rev Dr. William Barber: Marched,
Bronx Principal Jamaal Bowman: Marched,
Dr. Denisha Jones: Marched,
Ruth Rodriquez: Marched,
Bishop Selders: Marched,
Youth Dreamers: one the bus,
Newark Students Union: Marched,
Jesse Hagopian: Marched,
Gus Morales: Marched
Brett Bigham: Marched
United Opt Out: Marched

Dr.  Julian Vasquez Heilig: Marched

Dr. Yohuru Williams: Marched

Lisa Rudley: Marched

Jitu Brown: Marched

Dyett Hunger Strikers: Marched

Tanaisa Brown: Marched,
Barbara Madeloni: Marched
Sam Anderson: Marched
Mike Klonsky: Marched
Michelle Gunderson: Marched

Jeremy Dudley: Marched

Barry Lane: Marched

Family von BATs: Marched

The BAT Band: Marched

Terry Moore: Marched

DC Labor Chorus: Marched
Detroit Federation of Teachers: Marched

Washington Teachers Union (DC): Marched

Chicago Teachers Union: Marched

SOS March: Marched
BATs: Marched
UOO: Marched
I marched

Justice requires action. Action requires you.

While "Save Our Schools Coalition" Committee did all the preparations for this March; they helped 1500 other beautiful brave souls march. The 1500 marchers set a new standard for education reform resisters. The only "standard" that matters in our Struggle for justice in America's Public Schools in 2016 is "Are you marching for Public Education and Social justice?"

Tell me you fight by writing letters to editors,
Tell me you fight by blogging,
Tell me you testify at local and state board of education meetings,
Tell me you fight by lobbying legislators,
Tell me you fight on social media,
We need all of these fights.
But in 2016, and beyond

What we need most is Fighters Willing to March.
You don't need to go to DC to march.
Marchers are needed in America's local communities,

In America's towns,
In America's cities.
In our state capitals.
We need marchers outside the offices of America's Mayors, Governors, and Legislators.

We need marchers with big signs "Ready To Vote You Out"
We need marchers singing.
"People Get Ready,
There's a train a coming
You don't need no ticket,
All you need is to get on board"
Get on this marching train.
Still marching,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

 If you like to listen to what song this walking man was listening to on his walk today....its "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdKEbnS1eBE

Do Something Guidelines

Albert Einstein said: "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." Do Something Guidelines

If you see hatred today?
Show love.
If you see injustice today?
Show Justice.
If you see someone hungry today?
Feed them.
If you see racism today?
Speak out.
If you see wrong today?
Act against it.
If you believe in justice?
Live a just life.

If you are wondering what tune this walking man is listening to on his walk up the mountain today its... Des'ree "You gotta be" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvl7240TZTc

Would you like to know why education reform has been left out of the 2016 primary presidential debates?

Would you like to know why education reform has been left out of the 2016 primary presidential debates?

For 15 years now the United States Department of Education, and all 50 state Departments of Education have ignored the research, and pushed market-based education reforms that have failed over and over again. They have elevated Corporate experts and their failed ideas over educators. When I reflect I get sick thinking about the damage done to our children, their teachers and public schools in the name of market-based education reforms. 
The loss the hundreds of billions of wasted tax dollars spent on high-stakes testing and market based education reforms spent since 2002 with little or no research supporting their reforms is demoralizing. So much of the damage led by slogans claiming improvements for Black, Brown, and Poor children. Instead of putting children first these reformers put test scores and profits first. Public education is a sacred trust. They were suppose to honor that sacred trust not sell it to the highest bidder. They turned education reform for Black, Brown and Poor children into a lottery system with a trail of data that points to their reforms as the most massive failures in American Education history. Education reform should be more than take your lottery ticket parents. 
Education reform has been left out of the debates, because discussing it would mean Republicans and Democrats would have to owe up to their failure to protect and educate our children in America's public schools. We don't need their permission to discuss what our public schools need. We don't need to upset the no tough questions TV debate moderators to discuss the damage being done to our children. Parents and teachers don't need to study what works they already know.
Imagine if research mattered more to to policy makers and politicians than campaign contributions. They might discover that research indicates that school performance increases when children are engaged in outdoor learning experiences. Research documents increased academic achievement, better attitudes, better attendance, and lower behavioral problems. I love the outdoors, but growing up in the inner city and poverty meant I did not discover the woods, the rivers, forests, and mountains until I entered college. We could create schools where children play, jump, climb, imagine, row a boat, hike up a mountain. Just ask any child, any teacher or parent how can we inspire learning. They will give idea after idea rooted in reality and backed by research. 
Educators know what inspires learning. Outdoor education is just one of the many researched based ways to decrease behavioral problems and improve academics.
A 60 second trip on the water with the Walking Man.

We need a revolution to take back our public schools,
Dr. Jesse Patrick Turner

If you are interested in listening to the song this walking man listened to on his morning walk today...its Tracy Chapman's "Talking about a revolution" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2wneBVssPc