Jim Kimmel: Teachers perceived as second class citizens

Jim Kimmel to Molly Janczyk, December 29, 2006

Subject: Re: Less for retired teachers in 2007!
Molly:

I experienced, even at church, that those in the business community often feel that teachers got "too good" a deal in retirement. We are seen (especially male teachers) as second class citizens and it is not a "real" job (for a man). But then I pointed out that they should come and sub at one of the local schools for a month or so to see what skill sets are important and confront unruly teens. They opted out and went away mumbling. We have since quit that church for that and other reasons.

The idea in America today is that you always need to have SOMEONE who is lower on the food chain than you are -- at least in your own mind. I told my wife when I first retired in 1994 and learned that the fund was at that time around 55-60 billion that I hoped that nobody in the business or investment world would see all that money and try to pry off a big chunk. I am not usually prophetic but I was for that brief moment. Now they have 75 billion and they reduce our Medicare reimbursement by 9 or 10 dollars a month! You can't convince me that was even necessary! Especially when they get several million into the HC fund for keeping a pharmacy plan. I just hope that Strickland puts in some better people in the appointive seats at STRS!

I saw somewhere that someone at STRS said that even with the 5% increase there would be no health care in 15 years (2021). If that isn't an agenda first stated by Dyer I don't know what is. If that is their plan, of course it will turn out that way. If they wanted to do something, they could. It all started when Dyer said that it was not necessary for a dedicated revenue stream for health care in the mid 1990's. Republican Conservatives do not like anything where the government helps the average person. STRS is not a government entity when it is convenient to say so and it is when they find it advantageous to say it is. We need to get new leadership at STRS from top down and to have them set a new agenda which puts US FIRST!! If in 15 years we do not have any health care for retirees will out pensions jump (gross) higher? They should because there would be no other place for the money to go.....or would there? Hmmmm. So many questions, yet so few honest STRS people to answer them truthfully!! And if there is no health care after 2021, would that extra 5% remain?

Jim Kimmel