David Pepper: Retired Teachers Standing Up To the Politicians

Retired Teachers Standing Up To the Politicians

Speaking Truth To Power

From David Pepper 

October 30, 2025

Lots of terrible things going on out there.

Let me shine a light on a good thing.

Yesterday, I was honored to greet and thank retired public school teachers as they boarded a bus to go to Columbus to speak truth to power.

These are the faces and the voices that the state’s most corrupt statehouse is so fearful of that they passed a law at 1: 30 am. in the morning without giving any notice to oppose it. That law stripped these retirees of their voice and vote over their own pension, which they built through decades of hard work and noble service to our state.

You see, in elections for pension board seats, these retirees and teachers had consistently voted for candidates demanding more transparency and accountability in the way their pension is managed and decisions are made. And once they gained a majority of that board (to finally get answers to their questions), the politicians simply eliminated most of the elected positions on the pension board. (Replacing them with their own political appointees). Someone clearly demanded that these politicians do so.

But these shady politicians knew stripping these retirees of their democracy would spark outrage and protest, so they snuck it through.

And out of their fear of these hard-working teachers and retirees, the politicians managed to violate the Ohio Constitution in the process. (That’s not me saying this, but a court).

Well, yesterday some of these retirees made the trek to Columbus to start speaking out against the paltry way they are being treated. They went to hearings and got briefed by their representatives. They talked to legislators.

For most, it was the first time they’d ever been to the statehouse (which is one reason the statehouse politicians get away with what they do).

And they got a lot out of the day:

One called it “informative, encouraging and life experience into the political world and definitely productive. I think we put them on notice.”

Another: “We were peaceful today…but next time we will take signs and bring more people.”

We need people’s movements all over America taking on the corrupt power in statehouses like Ohio’s. Everyday people speaking truth to power. The politicians and their backers count on people being too busy or distracted to care, or to even know what to do when it comes to statehouse shenanigans.

That’s when they win.

Thank you to retirees from around the state who made the trip yesterday.

This is how it starts.

And yes, we definitely want to bring more people.