Robin Beebe's remarks to STRS board
June 12, 2025
My name is Robin Beebe. Retired Master's Degree Teacher of mainly 4th Graders, 2nd Graders, Kindergarteners, a smattering of other elementary grades and eight summers of Migrant Education. 35 years. Fremont City Schools and Perrysburg Schools. Retired 16 years. Denied my full 3% COLA's. Denied approximately $120,000. KISS. IT. GOODBYE.
I have been hearing much talk of elephants in the room. In some cultures, elephants signify strength, wisdom, good luck and protection. Elephants are revered for their gentle nature, intelligence, using their strength for REMOVING OBSTACLES and NEGATIVE FORCES and bringing PROSPERITY. Elephants live long lives and have GREAT MEMORIES (like teachers that I know). What can we learn from any elephants in this STRS Boardroom?
Aha....(pull out small, grey elephant statue). Here is the elephant known as the "It's Your Fault" Elephant. Teachers are blamed for not contributing enough. IT'S YOUR FAULT. Teachers are blamed for living too long. IT'S YOUR FAULT. Really????? What happened to the PREFUNDED Contribution Rates for the normal cost of the benefit including the guaranteed 3% COLA???? Where has all this PREFUNDED money gone??? Has this been diverted and applied to the unfunded liability??? Or somewhere else??? An elephant never forgets. Neither do we teachers!!!
Aha....(pull out small, pink, fluffy elephant). Here is the "Make It Go Away" Elephant. It is time to rescind the 2021 ORC Resolution and take away the power of the Executive Director to override the STRS Board's decisions. Please, will just one Board member use your strength and power and make a motion on this? Call for a vote to rescind it? Break this shackle and release your true Board power for self determination.
Aha...(pull out medium wooden elephant silhouette). Here is the "Ohio Audit $90 Billion Elephant". Faber's long overdue and very tardy audit suggested that had STRS invested in diversified index funds rather than hedge funds and alts, our pension fund would be worth an approximate $90 Billion more. That is Billion with a "B". Elephants signify wisdom and bring prosperity.
Aha...(pull out big stuffed grey elephant). Here is the Biggest Bull(y) Elephant in the room of ALL. It is the potential PARADIGM SHIFT of EPIC proportions that may be about to take place. This is the looming threat of the ORSC legislators to remove the elected active and retired STRS teacher Board Members and replace them with their appointed people. It will TOTALLY take away our teachers' power and voices. This PARADIGM SHIFT simply must not happen. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." I just have to believe this is true.....
Lastly, I have been very busy today looking for elephants in this room. Perhaps we all must be vigilant and "look out" for something else???? Has anyone seen any SNAKES IN THE GRASS??? ( Hold up 3 foot long stuffed toy snake).