Jim N. Reed's speech to STRS Board, April 17, 2008

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jim N. Reed and I am a retired 42-year educator speaking for myself.

It is highly probable that somewhere in Ohio an active, contributing member to STRS has misplaced a ballot for this month's STRS Board election. There is also a good chance that another educator will mark a ballot without independently researching the candidates. Political apathy is often the residue of the ever increasing time required to meet the standards, accountability and expectations within the education community. What a shame. Few investments in our professional lives are more significant than the one we place in our retirement system. Educators cannot afford to not pay close attention.

It would seem that the dissemination of information regarding the qualifications of candidates for the Board of an $80 billion corporation would receive top priority in the minds of contributing members and retirees. Yet passiveness and obstruction often rule the day.

In canvassing educators and their lead administrators in the school districts in my home county, I discovered a variety of attitudes regarding the dissemination of information in the form of credentials and qualifications for the active seat on the STRS Board. Fortunately, most of the administrators were receptive to the notion that an open, independent and informed election process would be beneficial to their districts.

Some districts were anxious about the method of distribution of flyers other than those for the endorsed bargaining unit candidate. It seemed that in the halls of an institution of learning it was acceptable to restrict access to information unless it was pre-approved. It dawned on me that this stranglehold on information dissemination was not dissimilar to the classic Negro College Fund PSA, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste."

I also found it unacceptable that my profession's retirement organizations would not take a position to endorse either a candidate or even a strong support of the free distribution of candidate qualifications so educators could make an informed choice.

As an example, would it not be of significance to an educator-voter to know that Dr. Daniel Vincent was a classroom teacher prior to continuing his education and moving on to add his expertise among the administrative ranks? Yet many uninformed April voters will be reminded that Mr. Tim Myers is the "ONLY classroom teacher candidate."

Anyway, is an administrator in the active Board seat such a bad choice for Ohio's educators? STRS-literate educators, active or retired, cannot dispute the effectiveness and personal sacrifice of Mr. John Lazares during his tenure on this Board. He, along with Dr. Dennis Leone, has brought sorely needed enlightenment and correction to a maligned and underachieving retirement system. There is little doubt that their training and experience inn fiscal management and responsibility as administrators have made major contributions to this Board and to 440,000 STRS members.

Being reminded today that his term is nearing expiration, Ii would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank John Lazares for his service on the Board and acknowledge his personal sacrifice. His perseverance and loyalty to his station have gone beyond the call of duty.

I would also like to express my appreciation to any Board member who has determined to continue the Renaissance at STRS by their insistence on independent thinking and committing to a strict observance of ORC 3307.15.

Thank you for your attention.

Jim N. Reed