Robin Beebe and her "crickets" with more suggestions for the STRS board and the executive director
Robin Beebe's speech to STRS board
May 20, 2026
My name is Robin Beebe. You know me by now. Master's Degree Elementary Teacher. 35 years. Retired for 17 years.
I want to start with what may be the most infamous quote of the year! At this very podium, Executive Director Toole stated "This is not our money. The money, belongs to the people behind me." Well.....the people behind me today DO NOT want to see a 9.8% budget increase of which 9.2% is an increase for personnel salaries and wages, NOR a 25% increase for the Travel Budget. PERIOD.
Now for "Crickets Part II"
Why are the number of staff constantly increasing? How many titles and assistants are truly necessary??? Where are the ROBUST discussions about reducing staff numbers? Just......[crickets].
One of the STRS Retiree Series Webinars is titled "You Don't Know What You Don't Know. Change That."
Could that be because STRS is NOT upfront and transparent with teachers? Yeah, guess we don't know what we don't know if things are withheld from us! Things like....What are the fees? We are waiting.... [crickets].
Two Ohio Legislators from the House and Senate came to STRS and proceeded to "mansplain" the merits of the Defined Benefit Plan. Instead, they SHOULD have addressed the real pressing issues like the need for our promised 3% COLA, or the need to keep our elected STRS Board seats in place, or an explanation for the appalling and unethical "Midnight Massacre" shenanigans. Hello???? [crickets]
ORSC. Oh, ORSC. In 2025, 5 out of 12 scheduled meetings were cancelled - almost 50%. So far in 2026, 3 out of 5 meetings have been cancelled - over 50%. But ORSC still gets paid $325,000 for the year, regardless!!! Is not the ORSC chairman the very same mansplaining legislator who accused teachers of NOT WORKING VERY MUCH???? ORSC...Where Art Thou? [crickets]
STRS provides staff and employees Educational Assistance. Part timers can have a lifetime amount of up to $21,000 for tuition. Full timers can receive a max of $42,000 for tuition. Gee, that would have been nice when I was getting my Master's Degree. Instead, we get.....[crickets]
Lastly, let's talk about the Death/Burial Benefit and the DISPARITY between the staff and stakeholders. Staff get a minimum of $7,500 up to $30,000. We teachers get.................$1,000. That won't even cover my cremation. Wait, I have a crazy idea. You most likely remember the movie, "Weekend at Bernie's" where after Bernie's demise, his expired body was carted all around Hampton Islands? Hmmmmm.... maybe my cancer survivor, warrior husband should make plans to cart my remains to the Hampton Islands with these items on me....
It shall be known as "ROBIN'S EXCELLENT BEACH ADVENTURE FINALE". Just how far will that $1,000 go?
[crickets]
posted by Kathie Bracy at 11:25 PM
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