Teachers Rise Up, let 1 become 2, and 2 become 4, and let it grow until it's all of us

One of my dearest education activist friends said to me this week..."I so tire of waiting on people to wake up"...she said what can we do to wake teachers up?"
The day all the teachers walk out, is the day parents will walk out as well.
The one, consistent truth in our public education system is since day one, over a 170 years Black, Brown, Poor and Special Education students have never known one day of equity.
There is only one remedy! A teacher uprising, and that remedy begins with 1.
Let it begin with 1,
Let 1 become 2,
Let 2 become 4,
Let 4 become 8,
Let 8 become 16,
Let 16 become 32,
Let 32 become 64,
Let 64 become 128,
Let 128 become 256,
Let 256 become 512,
Let 512 become 1,024,
Let 1024 become 2048,
Let 2048 become 4,096,
Let 4,096 become 8,192,
Let 8,192 become 16,384,
Let 32,768 become 65,536,
Let 65,536 become 131,072,
Let 131, 072, become 262,144,
Let 262,144 become 524,288,
Let 1,048,576, become 2,097,152,
Let 2,097,152 become 4, 4,194,304,
And then 4,194,304 becomes every teacher in the land.

I'm not tired, I'm a teacher rising up, and I am not alone,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

SOS, Journey 4 Justice, and WLU have never stop rising 

If you like to hear the tune, this Walking Man was listening to on his walk today...it's John Legend and Roots cover of Wake up Everybody https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJgxJ6JrPkc

Institutional Racism in CT, Look no further than our effort to honor Ebenezer Bassett

Readers take a minute to read the above. My thinking is not many of my readers live near Hartford CT. But, I want to share an insight into how institutionalized racism works in Connecticut, and most likely elsewhere as well. This is a battle that has been fought now for nearly five years...even longer in many ways. Who is Ebenezer D. Bassett was the first African American graduate of a public university in Connecticut, and the first African American Diplomat. Who became known as the Hero of Hispaniola for saving thousands of lives as ambassador.  He was an famed innovative education reformer, an abolitionist, and courageous civil rights activist. I can think of no more worthy Alumni name to place on one of our buildings at Center Connecticut State University.

We have one last river to cross here in Connecticut before Central Connecticut State University finally honors it's most significant graduate. It seems the policy here, is people have to buy university building names these days. I guess 400 years of slavery and Jim Crow were not payment enough? The time to honor Ebenezer Bassett in now.

If you live in Connecticut, please consider standing with us tomorrow morning in Hartford. We need all hands on deck, because this is the last hurdle. Imagine this, not one CT Government Building is name after a famous African American. What message are we sending our young people entering our institutions of higher education? When we can't name even one building after one of the most significant Black figures in our state history?
Some might called that coincidence.
Not me,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
Moral MondayCT Education Ambassador

Wish us luck, and iff you like to listen to the song that inspire my walk today over the Avon Mountain...it's that old spiritual "One More River To Cross" cover by Sam Cooke 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzWfAJwPMRQ

"One More river to cross)

Before I'll be through shedding tears

(One more mountain to climb)

Before I'll be with the blessed

(One more river to cross)

Before I'll take my rest

And I've got one more river 2x

And I've got one more mountain before I take my rest

(One more river to cross)

Put the burden down here"

Walking Man Message Thanksgiving Message to Teachers

My Thanksgiving message to teachers,
I have proclaimed you advocates and activists for the children you teach. That is unquestioned!
But, teachers you are needed to be advocates and activists outside the school house walls as well.
Your advocacy and activism is needed for labor,
Your advocacy and activism is needed for health care for all,
Your advocacy and activism is needed for immigrant rights,
Your advocacy and activism is needed for voting rights,
Your advocacy and activism is needed for equity for all.

Teachers, I swear you hold the key to change,
The day, we teachers walk out, close the schools, and say enough is enough, justice now, not more promises of someday....
I say, when we all take out advocacy and activism outside those school house walls, it all changes.

We can be more, 
Do more, a
Care more, and 
Together I sear we can change it all,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner 

If you like to hear the tune this Walking Man listened to on his cold Thanksgiving Day morning it's Play For Change Cover of Bob Marley's Stand Up, Stand Up.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6szT5NnwTY