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Friday, July 10, 2015

Children are more than test scores: This 10 miles is for our young giants the Newark Students Union

Children are more than test scores: This 10 miles is for our young giants the Newark Students Union:

This 10 miles is for our young giants the Newark Students Union

Catching up to my dedications and thanks you today from Delaware for my Walking to DC blog.

Day 15 on July 1, 2015 I dedicated 10 miles to my heroes the Newark Students Union > http://newarkstudentsunion.tumblr.com/about <


I first met members of the Newark Student Union last July at the the BAT March on Washington in DC. They were amazing back then, and they told me you haven’t seen anything yet walking Man. Far too often the Newark Students Union is mistakenly considered by Governor Christie, education policy makers, and many other political leaders as kids acting out.
But those of us who have taken the time to know them, see them for what they really are. The Newark Students Union is a remarkable on the ground organization, in your face, got the research, defenders of Newark's communities, children, parents, teachers and their public schools. They have earned the respect of activists all across the nation.  Earning that respect by gathering the facts, demanding justice and equity in our public schools, followed by intense dramatic on the ground based actions.  Such as speaking up at every board of education meeting, chaining themselves to the Newark Superintendent offices, occupying the superintendents office, by organizing 2000 of their fellow students to walk out of their schools to protest State control of the Newark Public schools.

I had the pleasure of meeting them once again personally at New Jersey TV news Community room meeting with save all schools in New Jersey, Communities United, Dr. Monica Taylor Montclair State University, Workers Caucus, and East Side high school teachers on to 30th. I found myself amazed, inspired, empowered, and lifted up my their words and presents at that meeting.  Everyone present in that room felt the deepest respect for these incredible activists fighting for justice in the Newark public schools.          
My thinking is that these young activists are not just role models for young activists in Newark, but for activists of all ages all across the nation. They have tempered their actions with in in-depth  research on the issues, and have time and time again reached out to leadership of the north Public schools, the governor’s office, and every of the stakeholder involved in the Newark Public schools Children are more than test scores: This 10 miles is for our young giants the Newark Students Union: