Libraries matter more than test scores

I remember falling in love with Miguel de Cervantes's "Don Quixote's Man of La Mancha" when I was 11. I found it at the local library sitting a top a pile of books on a tiger oak table near a window over looking the park. It was around 700 pages, far more pages than I thought myself able to read, but Cervantes whispered my name, calling me to adventure. I opened the book randomly to these lines   “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”
It was the winter without heat. The library was always warm, and the librarians were always kind and welcoming, and 700 pages would take a long time to read. So began my adventure as a Knight Errant in the warmest of places our local library. Like Don Quixote I would grow into a defender of truth, honor, and the innocent.

I had more hair back then, but I was always the fighter, always the dreamer, and always A Man Of La Mancha
Libraries matter more than test scores,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

Walking in the rain over the Avon Moutain listening to the sound track from Man Of La Mancha...I found myself feeling so very blessed in so many many ways. Come enter into the imagination of a Knight-Errant > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onQJZ-gzwsc <

Where is the humanity?

I am tire of Main Stream Media's love affair with education reformers and their mad quest for finding proof points for their high-stakes testing and more rigorous standards policies. I am not waiting for them to come around any longer. I am drawing my line in the sand regarding our public schools. My line is not complicated or complex, from now on any policies regarding our public schools must clearly point to the humanity in those reforms.
Does focusing on high stakes testing demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
Does forcing schools to compete against each other demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How does a labeling a child Proficient, Above Proficiency, or Below Proficiency demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How does policy that focuses on standards not children demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How does giving some schools extra funding, extra resources, extra supports while closing down our poorest and most needy schools demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How does requiring some teacher education candidates to meet higher standards from day one, while you fast track others, who are allowed to meet those standards two years later if they decide to stay in teaching demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How does placing special needs children in front of computers to take non validated assessments demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How does closing community schools in poor communities demonstrate humanity? 
It does not!
How does reducing the success of a child, a teacher, or a school to standardized test scores demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
How do smaller class sizes and greater access in our wealthiest schools to:
Specialized support services,
Art teachers,
Music teachers,
PE teachers,
School nurses,
Social workers,
School psychologist,
School libraries,
Extended day after school programs,
Daily recess breaks,
Time for play,
BUT not for our poorest schools demonstrate humanity?
It does not!
This is my line in the sand: If you can't show me the humanity in your policies then expect me to use every act of Civil Disobedience available to me oppose your policies.
Respectfully,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If people are wondering what I was listening to on my walk over the Avon mountain this morning? It's Dudley AKA Origin new track to document some of the struggles in public education in September 2015.  >  http://originalrap.bandcamp.com/track/september-2015 &lt;
Bravo Mr. Dudley Albany Public School teacher AKA Origin

Dear Secretary Duncan a message from the Walking Man

Hello Secretary Duncan , my name is Dr. Jesse Patrick Turner, and I am a teacher who occupies the humanity of the spaces I teach. I am inspired by the young voices of those occupying my teaching space. I find magic in the faces I teach. I find hope living in the eyes I teach. I find humanity is a two way street, the more I give the more I recieve. Ralph Waldo Emerson said “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
Does changing the world begin with reaching one child at a time?
Of course it does!
Does the humanity occupying the space I teach change the world for the children I teach?
Of course it does!
My destiny is not in the hands of the powerful, the wealthy, and the connected. My destiny is in the humanity I bring to teaching?
Secretary Duncan, it is not more rigor, it's more humanity that lifts children up.
It's not testing opening the door to hope.
It's the humanity that occupies the teaching and learning space inside our public schools that opens the door to hope.
Mr. Secretary we don't need new standards!
Mr. Secretary we don't need more rigorous testing!
Mr. Secretary we need more humanity.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jesse Patrick Turner
Director of the Central Connecticut State University Literacy

If you like to know what this Walking Man listened to this morning as he walked over the Avon Mountain, if was the Playing for Change version of John Lennon's "Imagine".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-t2ouOLYYw

Surely we are blessed by the teachers we work with, and the children we teach. Imagine change one child at a time. 

A call to action Labor Day 2016

-->

The recent action of our Dyett brother and sister hunger strikers calls us unified action. Justice is coming, and I plan to help it along in any way I can. I am calling for a Labor Day 2016 action in Washington DC on the Mall.

  " That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." ~ (1776) The Declaration of Independence

These are the sacred words of a free people that I am claim upon the blood sacrifices of countless generations of Americans who came before us. These words holding the aspirations of a free people that Dr. Yohuru Williams often reminds us,

These words

Of minute men long gone,

Slaves yearning to be free,

Women struggling for the vote,

Immigrants following a Lamp in that harbor of hope,

By crossing that sacred bridge in Selma,

By the voices of today youth carrying Black Lives Matter signs,

By SOSers in 2011,

By Opt outers occupying the United States Department of Education in 2012 and 2013

By BATs marching on DC in 2014, and again in 2015,

By my Dyett brothers and sisters on hunger strike in Chicago in August of 2015.

With those scared words passed down from generations past I call a free people to action everyday. By those words I call all to DC Labor Day 2016. No mater plan, no permits, no podiums with speakers, no marching bands to announce our coming, just a free people walking together carrying their signs for justice, letting our silence thunder, joining and embracing our free brothers and sisters on the Great Mall.
Dr. Naison Black History and Labor historian reminds us that silence can speak louder than thunder. He point us to the historic 1917 when silence spoke louder than thunder.
“They marched down Fifth Avenue on that summer Saturday without saying a word. They chanted no chants, sang no protest songs. The only sounds were the disconcertingly mournful thuds of muffled drums — and, of course, the marchers’ footsteps on the hot pavement.”
 http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/15/a-history-of-making-messages-heard-silently/?_r=0

No one owns this action, just as no one owns a free people. Understanding a free people must seek justice, or their freedom shall turn become their bondage.

Ask me where I'll be Labor Day 2016?

You shall find this walking man hold his No Justice No Votes sign.
If I sand alone than I stand one man alone.
But if by chance I stand with one other than surely justice has a chance.

I am calling every student, every parent, every teacher, every principal, every grass roots anti high stakes testing group beaten down by the injustice to stand and march in silence against these destructive education policies that reduce our children to proficiency levels, that demoralize our teachers, and take the right to vote for elected boards of education, abandon and neglect special needs and second language learners over and over again, and close our poorest and most needy schools.

I am compelled to insubordination by justice

My eyes are wide open,

My hearts is true,

Justice is coming, and I plan on making sure it comes.

Come join me next Labor Day for a No Justice No Votes silence protest in DC,

Jesse The Walking Man Turner 

If you want to know what song this walking man is singing it's Josh Stone's version of "Eye On The Prize" from Soundtrack for a revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeP-gS9sHkU

One day for my Dyett brothers and sisters

Yesterday the second hunger Dyett hunger striker passed out needing medical attention as she testified before the Chicago Public School board. See article in this link > http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-cps-dyett-hunger-strike-solidarity-met-0827-20150826-story.html < Something pure, something righteous, something so powerful we can't see it today, but trust me. We shall talk about it for decades to come. This Walking Man stands with his Dyett brothers and sister in their quest for justice.

I have no power,
I have no wealth,
I have no connections to the powerful.
But, I know righteousness when I see it.
I have little to give.
All I have is myself, and a heart bent on justice.
A heart that has been battered, but not defeated by injustice in our public schools.
A heart determined to beat it's every beat for justice in our schools.
In Chicago I see power, wealth and the connected as purveyors of inequlaity.
In Chicago I see a group of parents saying enough is enough.
I see a group of parents with hearts bent on justice bigger than my own.
In Chicago I see parent hunger strikers fighting injustice with everything they have.
Risking their health and their lives for children.
In Chicago I see great sacrifice ignored by a nation in danger of losing it's soul.
I have no funds to fly to Chicago, but if I did I would be there in a New York minute.
I am not strong enough to go join them in hunger strike for the duration, but I can join their fast for one day.
It's not much, but it's all I can give today.
So Friday August 28, 2015 I shall eat no food from 9:am to 9:am Saturday August 29.
It's far too little, but it all I can give today.
I stand with the Dyett hunger strikers,
Jesse The Walking Turner

If you like to hear what tune this Walking Man listened to his walk this morning? It's the Legendary Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers To Cross"
>https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AwrBT7QfEN9VStEAnP1XNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA2FhcGx3BGdwcmlkA2RqYTdhaDQ4UnEuOE5NQXdwbC5YbUEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzAEb3JpZ2luA3NlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzAEcHFzdHIDBHBxc3RybAMEcXN0cmwDMzgEcXVlcnkDamltbXkgY2xpZmYgbWFueSByaXZlcnMgdG8gY3Jvc3MgdXR1YmUEdF9zdG1wAzE0NDA2ODIwMjU-?p=jimmy+cliff+many+rivers+to+cross+utube&fr2=sb-top-search&fr=aaplw <

In Chicago Dyett hunger strikers draw the line to defend life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and public schools

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig "Cloaking Inequity" Blog posted "Today is my first hunger strike— my first fast.  I have the opportunity today to learn from the example of Jesus Christ, Ghandi and Cesar Chavez. I stand in solidarity with 12 parents and community members who are on hunger strike for community-based public schools. I challenge you to join the fast today August 25, 2015" (Today: Join hunger strike for community-based public schools #FightForDyett: http://wp.me/p2D92I-2HF via @ProfessorJVH) His blog this morning is a must read for every American.
http://cloakinginequity.com/2015/08/25/today-join-hunger-strike-for-community-based-public-schools-fightfordyett/

In Chicago our public schools have become cash boxes for politicians and the "for profit" charter school crowd. Money walks people, and money has made it's way into political campaigns across the nation from lobby groups for profit charter schools and testing companies. The private sector doesn't like democracy, they like control, and control is what they are buying in America.
In America five Supreme Court justices ruled:
Corporations are people, and
Money is free speech.
In America money buys elections, power and influence.
In America democracy is at risk.
In America there is no better example of that risk than the office of Chicago's mayor.

In Chicago public school control is in the mayor's office.  In Chicago Mayor Rahm has closed nearly a 100 community schools to make way for his new charter schools.
In Chicago parents have no say in electing the school board, and local Black schools and the teachers in those schools are targets.

Power corrupts, and a mayor with absolute power over the school board corrupts completely. There is no greater threat to democracy than absolute power. The American Declaration of Independence states: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." When you denied Americans the right to an elected school board you cut away their aspirations as a free people. I argue Chicago is out of control and morally and democratically corrupt. Every day Chicago denies it's citizens the right to elect their own school board it threatens the people's right to be free.  I argue that Mayor Rham would not be able to close local public schools at will with an elected school board that has to answer to the public. Chicago is a city that threatens the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness of its citizens.

Chicago parents, students and teachers have pleaded for their right to have a say in what happens in their public schools, they have held rallies, marched, held sit in(s) and lay in(s). Their activists have been banned form school board meetings, and have even been arrested. Chicago is not the Windy City, but the City of injustice in my humble opinion.
Now Dyett parents have taken to hunger strike. Jitu Brown the moral leader of Journey 4 Justice said: "We are here today because we have been pushed to the point of putting our bodies on the line to say, "Enough is enough!" We are tired of the destabilizing of our schools. "

In Chicago the idea of community schools is at risk,

In Chicago childhood is at risk,

In Chicago democracy is at risk,

In Chicago the right to life at risk,

In Chicago liberty is at risk,

In Chicago the pursuit of happiness is at risk,

In Chicago democracy is at risk.

In Chicago we must draw the line,

In Chicago we must support their struggle,

In Chicago Americans must defend the people's aspirations to be free,

In Chicago we must say to the Mayor Emmanuel and his Democratic Machine the people want their public schools back.

In Chicago the cry must become "No Justice! No Votes!

In Chicago every American should call the mayor's office (312.744.5000) to say 9 true words,

Enough is enough, we stand with Dyett hunger strikers.

Remember the life of Pastor Martin Niemoller an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler. Pastor Niemoller who spent seven years in Nazi concentration camps said:

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Trust me Chicago is their plan for the nation."

When you think if Chicago think of Martin Niemoller warning about speaking up for others, because trust me the Chicago plan is the plan for all our public schools.

In America the Deyett hunger strikers call us to action,

In America we must speak up for Deyett,

In America it's time to give Mayor Rham a call 312.744.5000.
Enough is Enough America!

Come stand with our brave Deyett hunger strikers that have thrown their own bodies into this battle to save their public schools.

Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you are wondering what the Walking listened to on his morning walk today? It was Seal version of that old Sam Cook gospel song " A change is gonna come"....https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=aaplw&p=you+tube+a+change+is+gonna+come

3 miles and five stones

Three miles from DC, three miles to turn this candle into a fire of humanity that takes back childhood for 53 million children being abused by the inhumane policies of test and punish. I have been on this road long enough that my every dream is of home, my wife, and my daughter. Three miles to go, three miles until these legs can rest.
How could I be silence?
How could I be apathetic?
How could I watch one more childhood be stolen?
How could I let hopelessness steal my soul?
Let it be known I am a warrior for hope?
Let it be known I am tireless?
Sunday Adelaja said: “You cannot possess your Promised Land without a battle.”
Tell it on every street corner, say it in every valley, ring every bell, and shout it from every mountaintop...
One man walking in the name of love to DC.
This warrior sees:
A promise land,
A place where humanity, love and hope drive childhood,
Tell everyone the candle is the fire, and the fire start spreading today,
I am gathering the shepherds,
Pick up your Goliath stones,
Be ready for the long walk to victory,
Remember July 24, 2015 as the day of calling,
Know that victory is promised,
Know that the price is paid,
Thus begins our year of battles,
But, we shall see that promise land of humanity for our children, parents, their teachers, and our public schools.
Today I am calling all good shepherds,
Remember this:
David took 5 stones in case he missed a few times.
The lesson of five stones from this is David had faith, but the battle might might be long, there will be some ups and downs,
But victory is promised.
Today I bring the promise,
Victory is coming,
Three miles and five stones to DC,
Jesse

If you want to know what song this Walking Man put on repeat for the last three miles into DC? ...It's Bruce Springsteen's "Rocky Ground"The 2012 Boston Fenway Park version, because I was there...
https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=bruce+springsteen+rock+ground+utube&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

Praise and blessings too all you beautiful hallelujahs

-->

Some of us look for a hero. Some of us spend a lifetime waiting for that hero. It's a worthy search, but it can leave us so very empty.
Are we not all the hero we have been waiting for our entire lives?
Do we not know what what we want our hero to stand for?
Do we not know who we want our hero to battle?
What if it's not one hero?
What if it's many?
What if it's you, me, and an army of others?
What if all we had to do, is stand up together?In Dante's Inferno we find Dante Alihieri's words:
"And I — my head oppressed by horror — said:

"Master, what is it that I hear? Who are

those people so defeated by their pain?"

      And he to me: "This miserable way

is taken by the sorry souls of those

who lived without disgrace and without praise.

      They now commingle with the coward angels,

the company of those who were not rebels

nor faithful to their God, but stood apart.

      The heavens, that their beauty not be lessened,

have cast them out, nor will deep Hell receive them —

even the wicked cannot glory in them.”

 

There is no greater sin than to live a life of indifference, " a life without disgrace or praise. If our lives are consumed by Kim Kardasian(s) and ESPN while:
Hunger strives,
Poverty strives,
Injustice strives,
Disease strives,
While we live lives of silence and apathy then even Hell will not welcome us.

I am not one man walking who loves and feels empowered by my fellow brothers and sisters who understand there is not need to wait for we are the heroes we have waited for our entire lives.

Today I dedicate my steps in this walk to DC to
Every BAT,
Every Opt Out Parent,
Every SOSer,
Every student who Opts Out,
Every student who walks out,
Every rank and file union member who seeks social justice as well as a fair wage.
Ring every bell,
Tell it on every street corner,
Shout it from every mountaintop,
You are the one we have all been waiting for!

On this walk to DC I have found believers, fighters at every step who lives reject apathy and silence.
I did not find a single hero, but I have discovered an army of shepherds.
All armed with sling shots and with stones of David ready to defend our children, our teachers, and our public schools.

In other words I did not find my hero.
But I have found:
Our Hallelujahs,
Our inspiration,
Our hope for change living, walking and breathing in this world in you.
In you my brothers and sisters I find shepherds willing to resist the madness that reduces our children to data and profits.

So to the powerful, the wealthy, and the connected I say remember these 4 words written in the sciptures?

"Wo to the wicked"

Praise and blessings to all you beautiful hallelujahs,

Less than 30 miles to DC,

Jesse

If you like to know what this walking man is listening to on his walk to DC today....it's Barry Lane Hallalujah from the 2011 Save Our Schools March in DC..
https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=aaplw&p=barry+lane+youtube+hallujah