Cathy Steinhauser to STRS Board 5/19/22: Where is your shared sacrifice?

May 19, 2022

Cathy Steinhauser, 35 yrs., Satellite teacher w/Pickaway/Ross in the Circleville City School District - Family & Consumer Sciences.

I taught students to budget, cut expenses when needed, use credit/debit cards responsibly, cook at home to save money, job applications, career exploration, manage time and money, and problem solving to name a few units I instructed.

I am appalled at most of you for the poor example you are to the younger generations of teachers concerning money management. There are 2 board members, Mr. Steen and Dr. Rudy, that seem to be the only 2 who know the real definition of a Fiduciary:

"A person that acts on behalf of another person or persons, putting their client's interest ahead of their own, with a duty to preserve good faith and trust.  Being a fiduciary requires being bound both legally and ethically to act in other's best interests." You all exist…this Board and staff, to serve the teachers! Your job or mission is to see that the teachers are being taken care of to the best of your ability.  Your ability is sorely lacking and this status quo attitude will start to change soon with the addition of 3 new board members come Sept. 2022. 

You keep talking about how we have to "share the sacrifice" of what has happened over the past 15 yrs. but I don't see any action on behalf of the STRS staff.  It seems to me that you've done a lot of sacrificing of teacher's benefits such as reducing health insurance coverage, unfunded liabilities, increasing required yrs. of service, no COLA for years until you threw us a bone of a poor deal where most of us have to wait a year before we receive it and it's only a one time COLA.  In doing the math, you have caused at least a $30,000 lost in my income over the past 7 yrs. not to mention what you've done to other retired teachers.

When I taught my students and the topic was lack of money, we discussed ways to save money and cut expenses like stop charging items, things to refrain from buying, buying at thrift stores and garage sales, and buy only when on sale.  When schools experience a money shortage they cut staff (teachers, office admin, aides etc.), programs, field trips, budgets and more!! I am disgusted that you have the nerve to request a 6% raise in salaries (which comes from this 27th check issue) and a 5.5% raise in benefits for STRS staff!  WHERE IS YOUR "SHARED SACRIFICE"??  Seems to me that you've not sacrificed for years…maybe never. The amount of entitlement at STRS is astonishing! That needs to change because it's your turn now to freeze or better yet… eliminate your bonuses and freeze salaries. Teachers have been suffering for years from the poor investment decisions as well as decisions the STRS board has made along with what the government has done recently.  It seems like this salary/benefits raise is another jab at teachers to get the last laugh on us.  REMEMBER THE DEFINITION OF A FIDUCIARY!!