Dave Speas: We must work together to protect the legacy that was left to us

From Dave Speas, February 19, 2007

As president of the Clark County Retired Teachers Association, Dave writes a column five times a year for their newsletter, The Courier. Below is his current one, February 2007. Thanks to Dave for permitting me to add this to my blog. I hope others will contribute similar items for blogging. Thanks -- Kathie Bracy (kbb47@aol.com)

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FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

Have you ever thought about how we were lucky enough to retire with our security in hand and not have to be on Social Security? Have you thought about the fact that retirees who came before us formed local retiree associations to work for benefits and protect what was passed by the legislature many years ago? Have you thought about the hours and years spent by people just like us that resulted in the retirement life we are able to lead right now?

Where does our responsibility lie in all this? When we were active teachers, people who had earned their retirement checks were taking time out of their schedules, spending their money on dues and activities, driving to Columbus or writing our representatives so we would be protected and doing it for us. Why would they do this when they were done with their careers and enjoying retirement? It is because teachers are, by their nature, responsible people. Teachers tend to think of others before themselves and give time and energy to further the opportunities for those in our society. They have seen what others have done for them and wanted to protect those in the schools too busy to worry about retirement and benefits. Our responsibility is to follow their legacy!

Many years ago some retired teacher local organizations formed a state organization called the Ohio Retired Teachers Association. It was formed so that the local organizations statewide could keep their eye on what teachers had won for retirement and work for improvements or against efforts to take away benefits. OEA-R was formed for the same reason and recently CORE was formed to concentrate on STRS. Why have they been successful? Teachers are by their nature protective of others and centered on the good of the whole of society.

Today we all are beginning to struggle for membership. When the problems at STRS were at their greatest a few years back, our membership was over 600. We have lost over 200 members since that watershed time. I am at a loss to understand why people have walked away from us when there is so much more work to be done and the numbers we represent officially are so important.

What are we working for today that impacts actives and maybe us?

1. Our healthcare benefits are at risk and could be taken away and we are working to find a dedicated income stream so we can keep what we have and make it better.

2. There are politicians and even retirement organizations like AARP who are working to take us off our retirement system and put us on Social Security.

3. STRS is actuarially mistaken in the amount of money that will be coming into the system in years to come by overestimating the percentage of raises and the number of teachers who will be teaching.

4. The education coalition that is trying to get a Constitutional change to fund our schools, as the courts have said need to be done, are trying to make money available for our children. This will also mean teachers can be hired, raises can be made and the retirement system will get the money they need to invest to protect the retirements of the active teachers in the classroom today.

We -- you, me, all those to come retirees -- do have a responsibility to work for the betterment and protection of our earned benefits. Those retirees who came before us did what they could to make our retirement lives enjoyable and safe. Our responsibility is to be on the front lines for those who cannot be there today. They are our former students, friends of the family, children from our schools, people who cared enough to become teachers who need us to be there for them. Anything we do to make life better for others fulfills our legacy as caring citizens of our whole community.

Our organization needs people like you. It needs you to be active in some way that does not take away from those things you love to do in retirement but will fit into your schedule and allow you to be part of us. Come and join us at the luncheons, breakfast, and picnic. Serve on a committee that will not take up lots of your time. Be ready to write and even march when our retirement benefits and those of the actives are under attack. Many people before us left a legacy that we must protect. It is our responsibility to give back with a little time and a membership fee. Current and future teachers are counting on us. WE cannot let them down.

Dave Speas