RH Jones: Retired Educator Health Care a Must

From RH Jones, October 1, 2007
Subject: Retired Educator Health Care a Must

To all:

Support for the Health Care Initiative Solution (HCIS) is essential to the Ohio’s economy.

As reported in the media the last couple of days, college loans are very expensive for students. And federal law allows for the garnishee of wages for unpaid college loans. This comes at a time when fewer students major in education. During future education students' active teaching years, could low pay, and when retirement time comes around, the threat of an end to educator HC be a negative attraction factor? Certainly good pay and a secure retirement with a State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), that not only offers a good pension income, along with good HC, can most certainly attract and retain top student achievers in the teaching profession. Having continually raised Ohio teacher certification factors, the public has shown to want the best for their children.

Recently, a wise Bowling Green State University professor, Kay Strong, was quoted, as saying she was optimistic Americans eventually will thrive in the new high tech economy. “Education is Paramount”. And a researcher Alan Tonelson, who is with the U.S. Business & Industry Council, adds, “Low-income countries for the past 10-years, at least, have been working frantically to push their own workers up the knowledge and skills ladder.”

Wise Ohioans in every corner of the state have been clamoring for the business community to understand the importance of tax supported public schools and all will profit from it. Profit is not a dirty word in our public school districts; ignorance is!

While employed educators teach without a steady funding stream for retirement HC, violence in and around schools continues to cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD - It is reported daily in our newspapers. HC coverage for PTSD, along with the large number of health problems caused by the stress of educating our youths, there is no question about it: HC is a continuing need for Ohio’s retired educators.

The above are facts, as I know them,

RHJones, a STRS Ohio retired member