Dr. Turner is still the same teacher I have always been.
I bring humanity into my classroom,
I reward both small and big learning victories,
I make sure our teachers and children smile coming in, and leaving,
I like getting down on eye level with learners,
I treat all with compassion, dignity, and honor.
Outside that schoolhouse door,
I advocate and fight the political and moral battles for all children, parents, and teachers.
I am a relentless fighter for equity and justice for all.
Outside my classroom door,
I am Jesse The Walking Man Turner,
Like those minute men of old,
I am always:
Ready to march,
Speak the truth,
Write the truth,
Testify the truth,
Stand up for the truth.
None of this is new to me,
This has been the story of my whole teaching life,
Come April 3, 2020,
I shall walk for equity in Connecticut,
In the state whose Supreme Court ruled our state is not responsible to provide equity to all our children.
A state whose Black, Brown, Poor, and Special Education Children have never known equity in our public schools.
I am walking that 12 miles from our state's first teachers' college CCSU to our state's Legislative Office Building for our children, our teachers, and our public schools.
What I do there at that LOB on April 3, 2020?
I will honor the memory of our nation's dreamer,
That dreamer who dreamed the dream,
That Radical for justice,
That Radical for love,
That radical for hope,
I shall honor Dr. Martin Luther King's memory of that Radical King who walked for justice everyday.
Come April 3, 2020, I shall walk 12 miles for equity,
It is not a long walk,
It should take me about three hours,
Like Joshua at Walls of Jericho,
I shall blow my horn of truth,
Like Joshua,
Like Dr. King,
I know truth matters,
I know marching matters.
Come April 4, 2020, I shall hold an Equity Now Education Salon at Central Connecticut State University,
Why?
Because that Radical King called me to go up that mountain.
I understand that silence and apathy reject the cornerstone of our nation's dreamer dream of liberty and justice for all,
I shall carry,
My Poor Peoples Campaign flag for justice,
My Bullhorn for truth, and
I shall honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. legacy on the 52nd anniversary of his assassination in the only way that matters,
I shall reject silence,
I shall reject apathy,
I shall march,
I shall speak,
I shall act for equity and justice,
I shall do with love,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner
Got my walking shoes on people
If you like to listen to the tune that I listen to on my morning walk to today...its "Up To The Moutain" by Patty Griffin
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