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| https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/10/10/hate-crimes-against-transgender-community-newday-pkg-sidner-vpx.cnn?fbclid=IwAR0KRBNmpr-Y61yac8qsoRgZkYEqG5Vz2desfApA6fcF8LB--HcsrsD5_Lc
This story brought back memories of a boy who needed learning.
Dear America,
About this hate that name calls, hits, brutalizes, and even murders. Lessons my Mother taught me 101, respect all people.
By the age of 10 years-old,
I had heard every racial slur, Every sexual slur, Every hateful word possible, My Father regularly belted out his hate words every night.
By the age of 10 years-old,
I had heard every racial slur, Every sexual slur, Every hateful word possible, My neighborhood regularly belted out their hate words on the streets every day.
One hot summer evening in that old hood,
I took up those words of hate, My mother was sitting with some other women, We kids were playing, We had no idea our mother's were really watching us, Then Jennifer a Trans Women walked pass us kids while we were playing.
I don't know if I said it first,
But Francisco and I called Jennifer a Faggot, We ran after her saying it over and over again, I don't even think we understood what that word meant, But, we knew she did, We knew it was hurtful, We knew it was wrong. But, we said just the same, Hate works that way with children, Hate works that way with adults, But, hate did not worked that way with our mothers.
Our mothers took immediate action,
They called Jennifer over, Invited to sit with them, They shared a Cigaret together, Laughed and talked awhile.
Francisco and I watched them sitting, talking and joking together.
We didn't understand why our mothers would be sitting with Jennifer, Then, they called us over, Said we like to introduce you our sister and Dear Friend Jennifer, We love the way she does her hair, and were just complimenting her on her dress and heels, Then, my mother said Little Jess, what did you say to my sister a few minutes ago, Francisco's mother added, yes Francisco what were you boys saying to our sister, We knew we were in trouble, Then they said you boys owe our dear friend an apology.
Ms. Jennifer, we are sorry for calling you names,
Jennifer looked at us, and said, I am glad you two young men have these decent mothers, and are men enough to say apologized, That word hurts me, and everyone like me, I hope the next time I pass by you would say hello Ms. Jennifer.
From that night on it was alway hello Ms. Jennifer, how you doing, it's a beautiful night.
I don't know where hate begins in America, but I know where it ends,
It ends with mothers teaching the lessons that need teaching, With sons, hearing the lessons worth learning.
I'm not perfect, I fight hate every day, it pops up its ugly head in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, houses of worship, and even in the White House.
Dear LGBT sisters and brothers,
America is still learning, You are beautiful, There is nothing wrong with you, We are still learning, and This son, brother, father, uncle, and teacher stands with our Transgender sisters and brothers right to be the beautiful human beings they are. Some boys grow into better men, Dr. Jesse P. Turner Moral Monday Connecticut Education Ambassador |
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Some boys become better human beings
Calling all Freedom Teachers to the Selma Jubilee Education Summit in 2020
I am an old school teacher, holding on to that prize
Dear Mr. President,
Do you think we old school teachers can be silenced by your hate in the White House?
Got my eyes on that sacred Edmund Pettus Bridge come March,
Got my eyes on Selma Alabama's Education Summit,
Got my walking shoes ready,
Got a freedom fire burning in my heart.
Gonna protect that vote,
Gonna rally teachers to the cause,Gonna give it my all.
I am still working on becoming the teacher I dream of being,
I know this teaching dream does not end at the classroom door,
That dream teacher defend in me defend his students:
In the classroom,
In the Schoolhouse,
In the community,
In the nation,
In the world.
Yeah, I am going back to 2020 Selma Jubilee Education Summit,
Why, because
I have much to learn,
I have much to do,
I have two good feet for marching.
Imagine the lessons in my classroom about voting rights,
Imagine the lessons in my classroom about civil rights,
Imagine that at 64 that fire still burns in me.
I shall one day be the teacher I have always dreamt of becoming,
Selma stirs that freedom fire,
And that freedom fire,
Gonna keep this flame burning all the days of my life.
Some day I am going to be that teacher,
That teacher my heart has always dream of being,
Selma feeds my teaching dream,
Selma lifts my heart,
Selma gives me hope.
Calling all you freedom teachers to come to Selma this coming March.
We got a freedom flame to light,
Lessons to dream about teaching,
Lessons need learning,
Voting rights need protecting,
Freedom needs protecting,
Hope needs feeding,
Teachers need lifting.
I'm going to feed my teaching soul this March in Selma,
Got my walking shoes on,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
Moral Monday Connecticut Education Ambassador
If you like to hear the tune that inspired my morning walk its Mavis Staples "Eyes On The Prize"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZWdDI_fkns
Just in case one or two of you Freedom Teachers want to join me on that Edmund Pettus Bridge...here is a link to Jubilee events https://www.selma50.com/complete-schedule
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
This Chicago Teachers Strike Is Not About Money, It's About What Right For Children
The endless flow of campaign contributions pushing failed high stakes testing education reform is a cabal of the greedy who have turned public schools into profit margins and testing factories.
I have walked for 40 days from Connecticut to DC twice to protest this cabal of profiteers that hijacked childhood and our profession. Like these Chicago teachers, I am a teacher who was forced to become an activist for justice in our public schools. I marched on Washington. I marched on my state's capital, I have joined two United States Department of Education Occupies with United Opt-Out, I have traveled multiple times to the Selma Jubilee Education Summit with BATS, UOOs, and SOSers to stand up for our children, their teachers, and our public schools. This July I met with some CTU leaders in Chicago. I claim brotherhood with these Chicago Teachers. Call me their number one fan!
This is not the time to hold our heads down. This is the time to lift them up, to move our profession to boldly stand up against these hijackers of childhood. We may not see it yet in our local unions, but it is building. Labor leadership either leads a bold stand to save our children, our fellow teachers, and our public schools, or it gets out of the way.
If this resistance is not led by teachers? Then who? Parents need and expect us to stand up for their children.
Teachers we are the heroes we have been waiting for. I see heroes rising in Chicago, teachers fighting for smaller class sizes, a living wage for Para-Professionals, and for nurses and social workers in every school. This is not about money, this is about doing right by their children.
I ended by saying teachers, start pushing union leadership to follow the lead of Chicago. If they refuse, then vote for new ones. Chicago is less about a strike it is a teacher revolution to save our public schools.
Call me another revolutionary marching save our children, their teachers, and our public schools.
I stand with these Chicago Teacher Revolutionaries,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
Connecticut Moral Monday Education Ambassador
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| July 2019 lunch in Chicago with CTU's Michelle Strater Gunderson & CSU-AAUP |
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| Call me CTU's Number One Fan! |
If you are wondering what song inspire my morning walk in the rain...its What's Going On cover by Play For Change https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEp7QrOBxyQ
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