Dear President Trump you can't make America great without ending inequity and injustice

Dear America,
Inequity has been the constant in America's public schools for over 170 years. Schools in Black, Brown, Immigrant, and Poor communities have never known equity. A public school system without equity is a public school system rooted in injustice. Children spend 13% of their lives in their public schools. If inequity only existed in the school house walls, perhaps the vast majority could rise above it?
But, they live 87% of their lives in communities where that very same inequity occupies their lives.

We can't turn around our schools without turning around our communities. We can't have racial justice in our nation, without economic justice.
Truth to power Walking Man Moment: We need policies and legislation that address inequity and injustice in our schools and our communities. Anything less is a crime against our own humanity.

Finally, President Trump, you cannot make an America without equity and justice for all great.
Poverty matters,
Racism matters,
Equity in our schools and our nation matters.
An America without equity is a failing nation.
Maya Angelou told us: "I'm convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere. For a change, start by speaking to people rather than walking by them like they're stones that don't matter. As long as you're breathing, it's never too late to do some good."

The time for doing some good is at hand America

My sisters Ruth and Ceresta have lit those candles in the dark years ago. All we need do is light our own candles for justice and equity. We are closer to change than ever before. Brother and sisters come light the way.

I don't have all the answers, but I do know change begins with the people. It begins with us, it begins one person at a time, the key to change has always been you, and it is never too late to light those candles for justice.
We are the heroes, America has been waiting for,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you like to listen to the tune that inspire my walk over that Avon Mountain this morning...it's "For what it's worth"-Buffalo Springfield cover by Del McCoury Band and friends. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIdfulZ1c5c <

Those Lazy Teachers!

Teachers some people say they'll lazy!

Well, it's a new academic year, and I have met my new graduate students. All hard-working teachers. Research indicates teachers work 57 hours per week. 37 are paid hours a week, 27 on instruction, and 10 on required school duties. The other 20 are without pay.Summers are without pay. Every teacher I know looks for summer work.

My teachers spend another 3-9 hours a week on top of that earning graduate credits in literacy. Twice that amount of time completing assignment for us. It will cost them between 20,000 and 30,000 dollars. No one is paying for them. This is all on their own dollar.
They will write numerous research papers, critically read the research, deeply expand their thinking professionally, take exams, create numerous projects, and tutor and feed 4 children for free, and write extensive case studies on each one. Then after all that the state of Connecticut requires them to take a standardized exam that they pay for to become certified. This is after they have already taken and passed at least 2-3 other standardized license exams. These exams will add 1000-1500 out of their own pockets. It is coming to the point where fewer and fewer students want to be teachers. The word is out, teaching is extremely hard, and is one of the least respected professions in America these days.    

Teachers some people say they'll lazy!

My simple Walking Man truth,

Teachers are my heroes

I say they are our First Responders of Humanity and Dignity for children in our public schools.

I say they are over worked and bullied by oppressive education policies that are doing everything possible to kill the motivation to learn in our children.
They, are doing the best they can against legislative mandates, and privatizing forces reducing our childhood into data points and profits.

Over a hundred years of research indicates teachers make the difference, not standards or test scores.

Praise and respect to America's teachers.

Love,

Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you like to hear the tune that inspired my morning walk this morning...it's Lulu's "To Sir With Love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT5OmavfOWg

A legacy of love informs teachers, to not speak against hatred is to act for hate

 Pastor Dietrich gave his all to stand against hate in Germany

Dr. King gave his all standing against hate in America

My teachers, are asking how do we deal with this hatred showing its face in America? Sadly, hatred in America not new. What is always new? Is our individual opportunities to stand against it. Please, don't waste this moment to speak up, stand up, and act against hatred and racism?

German Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, highly respected theologian and Anti-Nazi dissident returned from the safety of studying in America to Germany to speak out against Hitler's Nazi Germany.  He did this when everyone opposed to Hitler was trying to get out. He was an outspoken member of the clergy in Germany during that time when many others remained silent. He would eventually be arrested, and executed by SS in April 1945 just weeks before American and Russian troops would liberate Berlin. He left us, a legacy of love that defines morality in the face of evil. He said: “Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

Pastor Bonhoeffer legacy informs us, when we do not speak against hatred we act for hatred. History informs us, hatred and racism is not new in the Americas. We carried it with us on those first ships across the Atlantic from the old world to the new world.
Every slave grave marks us. It's embedded it into the very fabric of our nation's constitution, in the Three Fifths of Clause that labels Black slaves as property. There is an 500 year old legacy of hate here. I say meet it, with what our Quaker brothers and sisters called their oath "Speak Power to Truth".  To not speak truth is to act for a lie. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” 

So, teachers, we must speak, we must act, but let us do it with the dignity and the love of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We have no pictures of an angry Dr. King.

We have no recordings of Dr. King screaming in anger.

We have no recordings of Dr. King calling anyone names, or slurs.

He preached with the moral vigor of a saint.
More than any other American, he represents our nation's moral compass of love, dignity, and grace. 

His activism was so full of dignity and love, that I often think his living was as close to Jesus as any human being has ever come.
Please teachers speak against hate,
Please teachers speak for love,
To not to speak against hate, is to act for hate.
After Heather Hayer's murder in Charlottesville, our children need teachers of moral action more than ever. 
But speak, with the dignity, love, and grace of Dr. King, and the fearlessness of Pastor Bonhoeffer. 

Their shoes are too big for me, but with God's grace maybe someday I might grow in them just a little.
Silence and apathy are not acceptable,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

--> If you like to listen to the song comforting my heart through the hate on my walk today. It's Northern Ireland's Omagh Community Youth Choir singing "Love rescue me"
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xNmhhB3fjw