I first met Jesse Turner, now the director of Central Connecticut State University's Literacy Center, when he was a graduate student at New Jersey City University.
Turner immediately demonstrated an extremely high level of dedication and a willingness to dive in to address critical issues.
He never shied away from debate or controversy, and his intentions were clearly always focused on the good of the students.
One of the first things I recall Turner doing was bringing charges to impeach a student body president who was rumored to have been, among other things, holding "all white meetings" among members of student government.
Turner won his case.
Thus I am not suprised to read in the Chicago Tribune about his one-man trek that he's dubbed, "Children Are More Than Test Scores."
According to Turner's open Facebook Group by the same title:
This is a group that welcomes new members who believe that No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top is misguided educational reform policy that relies too heavily on standardized test scores and is too focused on punitive measures against local schools.
Turner is walking to Washington to protest the two educational policies.
Turner says that the best data we have indicate that "the current reforms have had little or no effect, yet we are pushing harder than ever on more of those very reforms."
Columnist Helen Ubiñas wrote.
I applaud Turner for his constant willingness to take action for what is right. I've known him and close colleagues for nearly two decades, and Turner has been this way all of his life.
With tests being the latest issue - there is one that Turner clearly has taken to heart.
It can be seen in these words by Richard Bach, author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull:
Here is a test to find out whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't.
