Fear of Teachers Teaching Historical Truths

Dear Opposers of Critical Race Theory and Book Banners,

Reflecting on these Book Banners and their Anti Critical Race Theory attacks. I see what they fear. When I taught Tohono O’odham Nation Students in Tucson, Arizona. We fully embraced history and the truth. We use literature and poetry to face it head on, dealt with painful historical truths. I was looking through my dissertation this morning and came upon this poem written by a Tohono O’odham students from the reservation. 

Dennis Leyne (age 16) wrote:

“THESE ROOTS” (1997)

If a people don’t have roots,

What do they build on?

We can’t give them wings, and

If we can’t give them roots,

What will they relate to?

If we start to deny our history,

Our culture,

Our Existence,

The facts,

What are we doing?

We are sanitizing history,

Then what do we hold sacred?

Looking back 23 years to my days as a high school teacher of Native American students in Tucson Arizona. I see clearly what is at stake if we fail to address historical truths in our classroom for Native American students, and all our diverse students we attempting to sanitize history and to clip the wings of America's young people.
Why, cause knowing one roots is empowering, and empowering America's young diverse students liberates them. It give them the roots to change the world. Who doesn't want to change the world? RACISTS!  

 

If you are wondering which song inspire my morning walk today? Its Bob Marley's "Stand Up for Your Rights". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td23q-NcLXM&list=OLAK5uy_kbwoNt5t9bhtUTrWKIw5J5tqePslHIbmE&index=6

Back in the day! 

  
 

Teacher stories inspired me as a homeless child. They still inspire me 56 years later.

 

On the Facebook page of the Badass Teachers Association, Jessica a future teacher commented I hear so much negativity about teaching on this Facebook page. Tell me something good about teaching?

Jessica, at 66, I could not think of a more rewarding career. The pay is not great, the work is tough, but the stories keep me alive. I did not enter teaching blindly. I knew from the start it would be hard. I entered the profession on a mission to be different. School of Education of Kentucky Dean Julian Vasquez Heilig recently said if new teachers are mission-driven, they want to change the world. I chase this mission to bring joy, equity, and justice into my teaching and learning. Someday it looks like I am making some headway, and others that mission appears elusive at best. 

The stories keep me going, and if I had to start again, I would not change anything.

With that in mind, part of the stories that crush me is the stories of teachers being abused by failed education policies that demoralized them. So, part of my mission is standing with them, and that has become part of the stories that inspire me. Teachers inspired me as a homeless kid, and teacher stories inspire me still. 

On the night Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died he said:

“We’ve got some difficult days ahead,” Martin Luther King, Jr., told an overflowing crowd in Memphis, Tennessee, on 3 April 1968, where the city’s sanitation workers were striking. “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” 

Something in my bones tells me that there is a promised land for teachers and our good and tough stories lead the way. Come teach, for a while, a lifetime, and know that it is also fine to leave when you need to. If you stay? Know that staying requires a mission worthy of staying If you leave? Know that leaving requires a mission worthy of others to pick up. 

Every teacher new, old, retired, and in between is worthy of some teacher love,

Dr. Jesse P. Turner 

Uniting to Save Our Schools 

Proud Badass Teacher 

PS Future Teachers don't let our battle scared stories taint you, teaching takes a lot out of you, like all work it can wear you down, but it also gives in return. Teachers leave when they need to leave, and every teacher whether they are leaving or starting new deserves our respect. 

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my walk this morning? Its Public Enemy's "Don't believe the Hype" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQaVIoEjOM

"Don't believe the hype, its a sequel
As an equal, can I get this through to you
My 98's boomin' with a trunk of funk
All the jealous punks can't stop the dunk
Comin' from the school of hard knocks" 

Our History Teachers Made Sure We would Recognize that Nazis Playbook if it came around

 
I have seen this hater playbook before

I know why these new haters want to Ban books,
Burning Books,
Intimidate us,
Ban factual history,
Because it exposes,
Their hate,
Their twisted sense of freedom of speech silencing others.

We had history teachers that made sure we would recognize that Nazis playbook,
Made sure that we would face them head-on,
Made sure we would not be silent,
Made sure we would stand up when the time came.
History matters,
History teachers matter.

Because History Teachers matter,
People are standing up to hate,
I am standing up with our history teachers.

Bless by history teachers that matter,
Dr. Jesse. P. Turner
Uniting to Save Our Schools
Proud Bad Ass Teacher

If you like to listen to the tune that I listened to on my morning walk today, it was the Beatles "Revolution"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK2B6JDL4cA