Jim N. Reed to Tom Johnson: Words of appreciation

Jim N. Reed to Tom Johnson, February 3, 2007
"Mr. Johnson, please accept my sincere gratitude for your decision to "stand up" for continuing reform at STRS by rejecting old-line, status quo positions that "stand down" the hopes of educators to recover the faith, trust, confidence, and pride we once held in our retirement system.

Some 42 years ago (the last nine as a part-time retired rehiree) I began my public school teaching and coaching career. I have been fortunate in that the good folks in my community have not only loyally supported the kids with their tax dollars but they have maintained enough confidence in me to have kept me on board.

Unfortunately, I lost that same valued confidence in my retirement system in 1998 when I retired. You see, as young would-be educators most of us were attracted by "The Promise." The knowledge that we were certainly not headed toward a life of financial independence was counterbalanced by the promise of security for a professional career in education that would conclude with a retirement that we could be proud of and secure in. Our families' future would be affordably secure. (Now, I must warn you that there are those doubters who claim this promise was never given, at least it was not intended to be given.)

How many of us who persevered through some dark education clouds to reach retirement were more than a bit disappointed to discover the promise had been a false foundation on which our careers had been premised. Is there a chance that this broken promise will run off some of the brightest and best of the next generation of prospective educators? If so, what are the ramifications?

Please excuse this personal interjection but I believe it's a rather common story shared by thousands of retirees and I only mean to express to you how important your position as a Board member is.

That is why it is so critical that we have Board members who can actually relate to our real-life condition as retirees or prospective retirees. Your support of STRS reforms offered by Dr. Dennis Leone and Mr. John Lazares are signs of hope for us. We have been discouraged by the past record of what we perceive as negligence and indifference to our concerns demonstrated by some Board members, Staff and Administration. Six-figure salaries and six-figure bonuses are difficult for us to relate to and it seems staying in touch in the other direction is equally difficult.

Mr. Johnson, my fellow CORE colleagues believe you are an independent thinker and, though we may not always agree on each decision made by our STRS caretakers, that you will keep an open mind and appreciate and respect our concerns."

Jim N. Reed