The real question for every student, parent, teacher, or administrator demoralized, bullied, and humiliated during this era of " Test and Punish" is are you marching?
In Dante Alighieri's Inferno we find these lines to describe the did not rebelled against injustice:
“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.”
The time has come for students, parents, teachers, and administrators to become rebels against high-stakes testing, inequity and injustice in our public schools.
When children cease to be children, because the wealthy, the powerful, and the connected want rush adulthood on them?
Parents must become rebels!
When the measure of a child becomes their test scores?
It is every human being's moral duty to become rebels speaking up, standing up, and marching to restore their childhood.
When data becomes more important them empathy, humanity, and love in teaching?
Teachers must become rebels!
When 49 states spend more money on their wealthy schools than their poor schools?
It is time the citizens of those states become rebels for poor children!
When a powerful case is made to label America's Public School System, "The School to Prison Pipeline"
It is time for every American to rebel!
When 1.2 trillion dollars is spent on NCLB/RTTT policies that placed testing and standards without compassion as the corner stone of 15 years of education failed reform policies?
It is time for every American to become a rebel demanding a refund!
When both political parties and the President say we know our polices of test and punish have failed, but this time we'll call is ESSA, and keep testing in place, but put those 49 governors spending less on their poor schools than their wealthy schools in Charge?
We rebels everywhere have to start marching, and shouting SHUT IT DOWN!
When Detroit teachers are told you will not be paid for the last two months of your contract? Teachers everywhere have to rebel!
When states spend billions of dollars on testing contracts, and close schools and services in Black, Brown and poor communities?
It becomes the duty of every American to rebel against politicians and policy makers who put testing consortiums before children, parents, teachers and local public schools!
When Private Charter Schools are allowed to break the rules, given every advantage, and given billions of dollars from Wall Street investors and hedge fund managers, while Black, Brown and poor public schools are being closed?
We rebels must shout and march the whole system is corrupt!
When every rebel has decided to show up at the Lincoln Memorial on July 8, 2016 in Washngton DC for the Peoples March for Public Education and Social Justice?
Then everyone must show up!
Now who is in the People's March for Public Education and Social Justice Walking Man?
Get some rest first, and pour a large cup of coffee, because the list of Educational Activist going to the Peoples March is a who's who of activism.
In that Rebel house for public education and Justice
1. Our Moral leader the Mighty Mighty Rev William Barber of Moral Mondays North Carolina
2. Our First Lady of the anti-testing Rebellion Diane Ravitch.
3. Our Tireless Warrior for equity in our public schools Jonathan Kozol.
4. Our most trust defender of labor and social justice from Chicago the beautiful Karen Lewis.
5. That power house of Black Education and Liberation Dr. Sam Anderson
6. The fearless Journey 4 Justice rock of justice Brother Jitu
7. The Constitutional Warrior Scholar for justice and Civil Rights Yohuru Williams
8. Those don't call us children, we are in your face education advocates for equity and justice in Newark's Public Schools the Newark Students Union
9. Connecticut's Bishop of Turn Up Social Justice Bishop John Selders
Are you tired yet, get another cup of coffee, because ain't nobody gonna turn us around...we have more!
10. That Massachusetts Hero of Labor from Holyoke Gus Morales
11. Chicago's Courageous Hunger Strikers for Public Education
12 Seattle Washington "Hell No We Won't Give your Test Teacher Leaders Jesse Hagopian
13 MTA President Never gonna Keep Me Down Barbara Madeloni
14 The Rebels of all "We don't compromise our children" Testing Resistance UNITED OPT OUT
Need more Coffee, because we'll not done
15 Our Badass Teacher Queen herself the Mighty Dr. Denisha Jones
16 Two rebels of See our Children Not Test Scores. Jamaal Bowman and Lisa Rudley
17 You can't defer our dreams The Youth Dreamers
17 Just a sampling of our Dynamic Entertainers
Put your coffee cup down. There are many more rebels to come, but I'm too tire to list any more today.
Finally every band of marching rebels needs their TURN UP Marshals CTU, DFT, WTU, Jesse The Walking Man Turner, and those beautiful children who are so much more than test scores.
Elie Wiesel said: "The
opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is
not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy,
it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's
indifference."
Friends the only question remaining is will you come to DC with the Rebels of love to stand for Public Education and Social Justice or stand on the side of death to our public schools?
If you want to know the song I listened to on my walk over the Avon mountain in the rain this morning...its Tracy Chapman's "Talking About A Revolution"
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2wneBVssPc <
