Tom Cooper to George Justice: No savior to education except us

July 4, 2006

Re:I haven't heard anything that shows Strickland to be the "savior" for retired teachers or the state of Ohio. I , as well as everyone else in education, want things to improve. Remember, things could be worse.

Mr. George Justice I'm confused, Mr Justice, as to what qualified educational source it is exactly you heard ANY claim that Strickland is a "savior" to education. Assigning terms like "savior" to try to denigrate a leaders qualities is exactly the kind of political twisting that deflects away from real issues.

The only "savior" to education is going to be US. The only way WE will make out lives better is to take action, and if that means openly expressing our constitutional right of free speech and expression, both as individuals, and as organizations, then that is what needs to get done.

I am sick and tired of the tone that says any word that questions in any way, any Republican candidate or office holder should sit down and shut up. Churches, newspapers, business organizations, unions, police, fire and all other public employees, can support political candidates, but teachers should just shut up?

(I'm not a Democrat, and I'm not saying Democrats don't do the same. In fact, they do, but this issue is about some narrow minded bullies threatening a groups right to speak out for a Democrat, or they will take their ball and go home)

And your answer to that is "things could be worse"? Since you make reference to what you have and haven't heard, I'm wondering if you have ever heard Ken Blackwell speak? If this man is elected, things will get worse.

The fact is, when CORE was battling tooth and nail to bring STRS back from the brink of destruction, and ORTA sat idly by, calling those that cared nothing more than malcontents, it was nearly impossible to get any politician to listen to CORE' leaders. Do you wonder why? Could it be that they have absolutely no reason to pay any attention to people who do not flex some muscle come election day?

I recently read a story about a veteran who got into a public argument with a person complaining about the war in Iraq. The Veteran screamed about how he had put is life on the line so people like this protester could have freedom of speech, and thus told the protester he should sit down and shut up.

Being a veteran myself, it was the brave people who began what is now called CORE, that caused me to get involved in their cause. CORE's leaders, and members were also told to sit down and shut up. If they had done that, like ORTA did, STRS might very well be dead by now. As you say, things could be worse. Apparently you, and many fascist minded people like you who would like to stifle voices, and salute the leadership blindly, would like to see things actually get worse.

When I retired, I gladly, eagerly, in fact, joined ORTA. I regularly attended local meetings. Through all of the uncovering of the unethical behavior of STRS officials, I remained a member of ORTA. I wrote letters imploring ORTA leader to take action. Not only was no action ever taken, none of my letters ever received a reply.

I did, however, recently receive a letter from Ann Hanning telling me that if didn't pay my dues, I would be dropped from there roll. You see, when I decided that for my dues I expected more than a ham loaf lunch once a month, I didn't threaten to quit. I just quit. I didn't threaten anyone that I would quit. My point is, these people who claim THEY will quit IF ORTA leadership takes a public stand in the interest of it's members, want to blackmail the ORTA leadership into sitting down and shutting up for their own political agenda of "my party right or wrong".

Isn't it ironic that, on Independence Day, the true independent mind, the independent thinking that gave us the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, is dying right in front of our eyes? And that we are the ones who are killing it with our society's desire to have everyone sit down and shut up, like ORTA?

Tom Cooper

Medina