I've been to the mountaintop teachers, trust me it is all we dreamed

My Thursday class is for certified Literacy Specialists who have already completed their masters. These specialists are completing an extremely rigorous program with demanding practicum assignments to become Literacy Consultants. Every assignment is authentic and happens in real-world time. You can't fake it.  It is a rigorous two-part course, requiring massive amounts of documentation and extensive reflections link to the International Literacy Association Standards for Advance Literacy Supervisors.

I teach part one, and my colleague Dr. Valerie teaches the other part. We work well together, and our students trust us. We love teaching this course.

Our specialists in the course are confident, able, and ready to learn. I teach the course in a workshop mold, there are mini-lessons, lots of conferring, and plenty of authentic of in class going on. It resembles more of a shared art studio, where everyone is painting and working together. It closely resembles Donal Graves's notion of his Writing Workshop atmosphere. At this point in the semester it is a genuine learning community. Some of the work is about planning the tasks because some of them will take more than one semester to actually implement. A great deal of it requires their district and school approval, and even then they need to fit on the district timeline not ours. So some students have to carry work over to the second course. We discuss all of this together, and we work it out together. My nickname is the captain because I begin every semester with the line I am like a good captain, I bring everyone home to port. No one is cast adrift on my watch. 

At the end of class, a few students stay after class a bit. Usually, students who have taken classes in our Department over the years. They began talking about faculty who retired or who passed away. Who is still here, and who is gone. It was all good stuff.

Then one looked at me, and ask when are you planning on retiring Dr. Turner. I said when I am no longer relevant. I know there that time will come, but I have this legacy mission going on in my mind. It is about being a voice of hope, a role model for advocacy and activism. These are tough times for teachers and children. I will not leave until victory is in sight. It is a sort of Dr. King thing going on with me. Dr. King said this on the night before he died:

“But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land”

So, we ended with Dr. Turner retires when teachers and children see the promised land of equity and justice in our public schools. If I die, before that day, know that I'll be there waiting for you. I won't fall, or tire, I am an old school teacher build to go the distance.

Then we walked out of the building together, knowing the mission is strong, and we all have a role in it,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you like to hear the song that inspired my morning walk today...its Patty Griffin's "Up To The Mountain" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA6Q5-Ap3o8 

Dear Mr. President

In the spirit of one of my greatest heroes, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois who pen public letters to President Wilson. I pick up that public letter writing here.
 
Dear Mr. President, during this booming economy. While giving billionaires more tax breaks, and in between all this talk about your hotels being the most beautiful in the world. Perhaps you might want to pay attention to what is happening in our public schools?
You might consider calling Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos over to the White House to give you a report on the status of public education in America.

Something Secretary DeVos may not have mentioned to you. A majority of states are spending less on their public schools than before the 2007 recession. 29 States spend less on schools than before the 2007/8 recession. Perhaps you can ask Secretary DeVos to travel to those 29 states and explain to them that spending less on our public schools is an economic catastrophe in the making.

May I make a suggestion, take back those tax breaks, and use those tax revenues to help our struggling schools.

Recently I met a man on the train from Philadelphia to Hartford CT. He asked me what I did for a living. I explained I was an educator. Somehow the conversation came around to a lack of investment in our public schools. I mention that 29 states are spending less these days. I quoted Horace Mann: "Money for schools now, or for prisons later". It turned out he worked for a firm that runs private prisons. He looked me in the eye. Then he said let me say this: "Profits are profits, and prisons are money makers, and schools are money losers...Trust me, sir, there are some on Wall Street and in government who are cheering on more prisons." His words were blunt, but they were also honest. Our conversation ended when he got off at the New York City stop. Of course, his words were eye-opening to say the least.

You might also suggest Secretary DeVos visit Chicago where the teachers are on strike not over wages, but for Chicago's children. She might begin a conversation there with students, teachers, and parents. Since she has never worked in a public school and lacks any real experience working with public school teachers, students, and parents my thinking is Chicago would make a perfect place to begin her studies.

Often I find myself wondering what would In the spirit of W.E.B Du Bois would be writing if he were here with us today. Then, I realize his words, his works, and his spirit walks with me, and millions of others every day.  I too am a man of letters to presidents, I have written to President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, and you. It's not political, it's moral, it's not Blue vs Red. It's not personal, it's what is just and fair for all.  I owe it to that other letter writer, and to that not yet kept pledge line "With Liberty and Justice for all." I have no doubt that someday that unkept pledge shall become real, and I will have no need to write letters to my presidents. 
May I make one more suggestion? Perhaps your cabinet and Secretary DeVos might consider reading and studying Michelle Alexander's book "The New Jim Crow and the school-to-prison pipeline."

Trust me, more prisons will not make America Great Again.
Respectfully,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
Moral Monday Connecticut Education Ambassador 

If you are interested in listening to the song that inspired my morning walk today it's Buffalo Springfield's " For What It's Worth" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY

I stand in the shadows of love for these Fighting Chicago Teachers

In August 63 in DC,
At the age of 8 years old,
I march with my grandfather
Heard the Dreamer's dream.

At the age of 10,
My father lifted his hand to strike my mother,
At 10 years old, I took the blow.

At the age of 11 years old my mother and I homeless and hungry,
At the age of 12 years old a teacher intervenes, and my older sister steps in,
At the age of 13 years old, I was back on track,
Maslow's hierarchy in place for the 6,
By 18 years old my mother and I had a place of our own,
Smarter and wiser at a younger age,
I was University-bound,
Took a little longer than most,
A rising star, bound for glory.  

At 25, I entered my first classroom,
At 25, I found my purpose.

At 28 years old I married Carolyn Cullen,
At 33 Erin Beth was born, I cut the core securing her in my heart until I am no more.

At 51 I earned that Ph.D.,
At 64, the fire stills burns,
The mission remains strong,
The load may be heavy,
If you think I can't carry this load?
Then you really don't know this teacher.

If you think teachers don't carry every moment into their classrooms?Then you don't know anything about teachers.

If you think teachers bow down to standards and data points?
Then you don't know anything about teachers.
These Ed Reformers, Ed Scammers, Make a buck CEOs, have no idea about what teachers carry with them into their classrooms.

If you think these Chicago Teachers can't carry the children they teach?
Then you don't know Chicago Teachers.

Teachers carry it all, it's what guides every lesson,
It's what gives them strength,
It's what they carry that makes them fighting teachers.

In October 2019, I stand with these Fighting Chicago Teachers,
I stand with them until I can stand no more.
Shout on every street corner,
Tell it on every mountaintop,
I stand with my rank and file sisters and brothers in Chicago,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you want to listen to the song that inspired my walk this morning its bill Withers Lean On Me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-59COFjB6Sk