FLASHBACK 1 Year Ago: 'Which is it, Mr. Allen?' or '17 months PLUS 12 MORE equals 29 months'

[Note: The following is a copy of a memo provided to me on December 31, 2004 by Dennis Leone; he had originally sent it to all Ohio superintendents and principals on August 8, 2003. KBB]

From: Dennis Leone
Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004
Subject: Fw: Conflicting OEA Statements Regarding STRS

Thought you might find of interest this 17-month old e-mail I sent out to all 900 principals and all 600 supts in Ohio. Of course, Allen had no response.

Dennis Leone

From: Dennis Leone
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003
Subject: Conflicting OEA Statements Regarding STRS

As you know, I presented a 13-page position paper to the STRS Board on May 16, 2003 that summarized a number of things about inappropriate spending practices at STRS. The report contained several recommendations that called for the STRS Board members and STRS Administrators to change their spending practices, realign numerous policies, and better represent the entire STRS membership. Many things have happened since May 16, and I really do believe the STRS Board and staff soon will be getting on the right track.

On June 5, 2003 -- one week after I shared a copy of my position paper with principals and superintendents (I didn't even give it to the news media) -- OEA President Gary Allen criticized me heavily with a letter to all OEA-affiliate local presidents, OEA "District Leaders," the OEA Retirement Advisory Council, and the STRS Board members.

In his June 5 letter, Allen wrote that my report of 5-16-03 was "destructive" and that I was communicating "misrepresentations." He described my findings (which were based totally on data provided to me by STRS) as merely "allegations" and accused me directly of attempting to "discredit the STRS management." He wrote: "His motives are unclear" and "his logic is hard to follow." He said: "Many of the incidents he wants corrected occurred in the past and cannot be changed.....the context in which he addresses these issues appears to be of his own creation." (What the heck does that mean?) He wrote further: "We believe in the integrity of STRS and the individuals on the Board." And he also wrote: "Some recipients (of my findings) have elected to indiscriminately broadcast the report." (I guess that means some of you.) He was quoted in a northern Ohio newspaper saying that the spending practices of the STRS Board represented "old news."

Then -- on July 28, 2003 -- Allen sent his constituents a different kind of a letter. In this one, he wrote: "OEA leadership shares the concerns expressed by members in regard to STRS operations......we have communicated those concerns to the STRS Board members and have asked them to move quickly to make appropriate changes and to address member concerns." (That's interesting !) He wrote further: "OEA supports an independent fiduciary audit of STRS.....taking decisive action and making proactive improvements are necessary to re-establish the system's credibility with its members, state officials, and with the public at large."

Allen also said in his July 28 letter: "If STRS reaches out to its members, listens to their concerns, and acts in response to those concerns, it will be possible to restore credibility of the system......restoring this credibility is essential."

Does anyone know how Allen, on July 28, suddenly could be concerned about the same STRS issues that he criticized me for being concerned about on June 5 (which were the issues addressed in my May 16 position paper)?

At the end of Allen's July 28 letter, he explains that "false reports have surfaced" regarding his personal opposition to House Bill 227, which is designed to increase one retiree member on the STRS Board and decrease one active teacher member. One sentence later in the same letter, he wrote that he has, in fact, expressed his opposition to H.B. 227 -- but only did so on behalf OEA since the union has a long standing policy stating that a majority of STRS Board members needs to be teachers.

I do not think Gary Allen really gets it. It matters not what the OEA bylaws say. The real issue is that the STRS Board has been a dismal failure in recent years, and that STRS membership money has been wasted and spent inappropriately. But OEA, with its ugly June 5 knee-jerk reaction reaction to my first report, decided to go to bat for the OEA members on the STRS Board and criticize my desire to bring out the truth. OEA was out-of-touch, without even knowing it, with how outraged Ohio's active teachers and retired teachers really were about these issues. The Canton Repository newspaper printed an editorial on June 16 about OEA's position that was entitled: "OEA President Out-of-Step With STRS Pension Woes."

As noted above, Allen wrote on June 5 that what I desired to be corrected "occurred in the past and cannot be changed." I wonder if he still feels that way, given all that has happened in Ohio in the past eight weeks, and given his own revised position on July 28 which asked the STRS Board "to move quickly to make appropriate changes and address member concerns." Which is it Mr. Allen?

Dennis Leone, Supt.
Chillicothe City Schools