Children are more than test scores: I could have been anywhere today

Children are more than test scores: I could have been anywhere today:

I could have been anywhere today

Today I could hear James Weldon Johnson in my head
"Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won."

I could have been anywhere today.

"Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet"

James, you warned me the road would be stony,
the chastening rod would be bitter, 
our feet would be weary.

I came 500 miles today James.
I stood under the 100 degree Washington DC sun,
I marched under that hot sun,
I sang under that hot sun,
I dance in the afternoon rain...

I could have been anywhere today, 
But, they're closing down our schools today,
But, they're putting For Sale signs on our public schools today,
But, America's Senators and Members of Congress are dinning with Hedge Fund Managers today, 
But, Governor and Mayors are slashing schools budgets today, 
Charter School Pirates are buying our local schools today,
Secretary John King and his Alphabet Boys and Girls at the United States Department of Education are cooking new soups NCLB, RTTT, ESSA, and CBE today,

I could have been anywhere today,
But, they're pushing Rigor to children today,
But, Children are more than test scores: I could have been anywhere today: