What if, Policy Makers and Legislators listened to teachers, parents and children?

Got this little beautiful "What if" dream 

What if our policy makers and legislators listened to Teachers, Parents, and Children?

Well then:
All this meaningless testing would end.
Art, would be part of every learning day.
Music, would be part of every learning day.
Physical Education, would be part of every learning day.
Every child who needs a Reading Specialist, Special Education Teacher, Social Worker, School Counselor, or School Nurse would have one.
Child Center Learning would matter again.
Computers would not be substitutes for teachers, but just another learning tool.
Teachers would be appreciated.
Parents would be real school partners.
Children would be gifts.


What if our Policy Makers and Legislators stopped listening to Tech Billionaires, Wall Street CEOs and Test Publishers who see profits not children in our public schools?

Well then:
They would stop getting massive campaign contributions from people who want to privatize our local public schools, and profit off our children, parents, teachers, and public schools.
They would realize they work for the people, and not Wall Street.
Blue State or Red State would not matter to states that put public education and children first. 
They would have to earn our votes not take them for granted.

What if standards stopped being benchmarks?

Well then:
Teachers could see the child not the test score.
Teachers could meet children where they are at, and move them forward.
Kindness, respect, and dignity would become the only standards we need.
Children would learn to love learning, and be prepared to meet every challenge needed in a world where they will change careers often.

What if the teachers and parents stood up for our children?

Well then:
Equity and justice for all would come first in our public school system.
Our public schools would be the pride of the nation.
Our public schools would become community hubs and catalysts for healing, hope, joy, and centers for the love of learning.
Until then, I'll keep fighting for the public schools our children deserve.
Come join the fight to Save Our Public Schools,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner 

If you like to listen to the song that inspired my walk this morning....its the version of "Teach Your Children" done by Play For Change 
https://playingforchange.com/videos/teach-your-children-live-in-australia/

Legislators, it's not just your immoral budgets, we want out public schools back

I have been at the capital and fighting against CT Legislators proposed budgets every day. 114 of Connecticut Clerical Leaders called for a Moral Budget, and they took their call for a Moral Budget this past Monday to the Connecticut Legislative House. When they start singing "This little light of mine" 6 of them were arrested, and the rest of us were pushed out of the people's legislative house. Both political parties here are set to deliver painful cuts to our most needy and our public schools. But it is not just about the budget, it is about what they have done to our children, their teachers, and our public schools. We deserve a Moral Budget!

We need, our public schools back from your unfunded and insane mandates. We need, teachers to be respected again by our legislators and policy makers. We need, wrap around services for our most vulnerable children. We need, smaller class sizes. We need, more Art and Music. We need, more social workers and councilors. We need, summer school program for all children. We need, less testing, and more teaching. We need, funding for more field trips. We, need more special education teachers. We, need more para-professionals, We, need more Literacy Specialists. Most of all we need moral legislators willing not to protect billionaires, but to protect our children, our parents, our teachers, and our public schools.

Connecticut is not unique in this madness that cuts funding in our classrooms, and gives billions to testing companies at the same time. We need a Moral Budget, and a Moral People ready to fight to take back our public schools. Still marching, Jesse The Walking Man Turner

PS I got my walking shoes on. If you like to hear what inspired my walk this morning...its Barry Lane’s “Jesse Turner Is A Walking Man” https://barrylane.bandcamp.com/trac...

Today I shall walk with the Moral

Today Monday June 5, at 4:PM in Hartford Connecticut at the Legislative Chambers.
I will answer the call to the faithful, people of good conscience, and the just issued by Connecticut's Clergy to go to the Legislative chamber to demand a Moral Budget.

Today I will walk in the light of a greater good.

Today I will walk with my DueJustice brothers and sisters.

Today I will walk with our men and women of our clergy of all faiths.

Today I will walk with our non-profit agency leaders who serve the poor.

Today I will walk with my union brothers and sisters.

Today I will answer the call to justice.

Rev Barber said: "it is emotionally sick to deny people health care."

I would add it is evil for the wealthiest and most nation in the world not to provide medical care to all their own citizens.

When judgement day comes?

Shall our leaders say Lord, we could have asked the wealthy do pay more, but that would have limited to 5 or 6 mansions only Lord.

While they raise taxes on the middle-class lord. They reduced taxes by half on the wealthy since the 1960s.

What shall they say Lord?

They fear asking the wealthy to pay more might mean lowering their standard of living might fall.

Shall our legislators cry out Lord we could have could have ask them to pay more to help the sick, but the sick should have taken care of themselves.

Johnny Cash sang the "The man going round"

"There's a man goin' 'round takin' names

And he decides who to free and who to blame

Everybody won't be treated all the same

There'll be a golden ladder reachin' down

When the man comes around"

I don't need the man to come around to stand up for my brothers and sisters who are sick.

I don't need the man to come around to stand up for my brothers and sisters who are hungry.

I don't need the man to come around to tell me that 49 states spending more money on their wealthy schools than their poor schools to stand up for our poor schools.

I don't don't need the man to come around. I need to stand up for those that can't stand up for themselves.

I am my brother's and sister's keeper, and they are mine.

Today I will be a Moral Man.

Jesse The Walking Man Jami Turner



If you want to know what I am listening to this morning as I prepared to walk with Connecticut's Clerical Leader its...Johnny Cash singing "There's a man going round" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9IfHDi-2EA