Suzanne Laird to STRS Board: The status quo has got to go

From Suzanne Laird

September 15, 2022

Good Morning, Members of MY Board:

Today, we are here to welcome the sorely-needed new members of this Board.

Finally, our few, honest and trustworthy Board members will have some support!

Your job as new members will not be easy: you may have noticed how current truthtellers have been treated. They've actually been admonished and attacked for calling out the scams, spin, propaganda, gaslighting and downright lies.

Some of our Board appointees have shown themselves to be responsible stewards of the stakeholders' money, but some have simply maintained the status quo. The status quo has got to go.

Those bonuses, awarded last month, must be the very last ones ever granted.

Why? Well, not just because they were a travesty, but because I believe we have a perfect storm coming this winter. A terrible, perfect storm:

The COVID government stimulus checks, which sustained both active and retired teachers through the past two years, are gone.

Inflation is skyrocketing. The stock market is incredibly volatile.

And many retirees, such as myself, will not see our one-time COLA until May or June of next year, while the STRS employees relax and enjoy their raises and bonuses.

A terrible winter of discontent is brewing.

Teachers of Ohio cannot tolerate any more. Those still in the profession (God love 'em), are too financially strapped to retire; those who are retired are financially strapped and may be too frail to go back to work. We need relief and reassurance.

Action items for this new Board:

Condemn the lies.

Curtail all raises and bonuses.

Cut the wasteful spending.

Reduce investment fees.

Freeze hiring any new employees.

The status quo has got to go.