A 'new' question on the horizon: Why would OEA want to 'control' the STRS Board?

From John Curry, March 8, 2008
Subject: So, why would the OEA want to "control" the STRS Board?

In recent days I have been asked this question by both actives and retirees. The best way to relate an answer to this question is to ask the question in a way that will be better understood by both active and retired educators. So, if you please, I will do so. The question at hand is:

"Why would the OEA not want to see a non-OEA-affiliated educator elected to the Ohio STRS Board?"

I think that by restating the original question that I can better explain why:

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that legal expenses for STRS staff members had been paid for staff members who hired their own lawyers without prior knowledge and consent of the STRS Board. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that huge bonuses were paid for over 300 non-investment staff members/employees who did no more than their regular day-to-day jobs. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that bonus checks for investment staff members were based, at least in part, on subjective factors instead of solely on benchmark factors. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that STRS employees who adopted children were getting (from STRS) a $5,000 stipend for doing such. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that STRS staff members and their family members were using STRS owned vehicles at their own discretion and it was permitted by official STRS Board policy. This practice was stopped after it w-s called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that as many as seven former Board members took expensive trips to faraway places such as Hawaii, Palm Springs, Anchorage, Kiawah Island, China, and Africa and stayed at fancy hotels with a minimum of "business" being conducted. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that free meals at fancy restaurants, free alcoholic beverages, and even beach bar bills for STRS Board members were being paid for with STRS monies. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that free credit cards, free newspaper subscriptions, personal long distance phone calls, and personal fax machines were enjoyed by STRS Board members. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that unitemized lunch and dinner bills were furnished to and paid for by STRS Board members. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that expensive first-class plane tickets were furnished to STRS Board members with no Board requirement that more economical reservations be made at least 30 days in advance of the flight. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that Broadway shows, professional baseball games, concerts, trips to Kings Island, trips to the Columbus Zoo Light Show were furnished to the STRS Board members at the expense of STRS or as gifts from companies (contractors) doing business with STRS. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that the STRS Executive Director was advising the Board to approve "big money" contracts without the STRS Board members having a copy of the contract or a summary of the contract placed in front of them. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that lawyers were inserting language into contracts after the Board approved them. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that some Board members were enjoying free second night stays (for no legitimate reasons) in hotels following meetings. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that some STRS Board members were also furnishing hotel accommodations/meals for their spouse/partner with STRS paying the tab. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member furnished information to Ohio legislators re. Senate Bill 133 (The Ohio Pension Reform Bill - which now is State Law) which mandated the addition of investment experts to all five Ohio public pension systems. These experts are non-OEA affiliated. This bill was signed into law in the presence of and by invitation of the Ohio Governor to the non-OEA-affiliated Board member who furnished this valuable information to these very same Ohio legislators.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member's 13 page presentation caused the "ousting" of former STRS Executive Director, Herb Dyer, after this non-OEA affiliated Board member related the misspending, mismanagement, and entitlement philosophy of former STRS Board and administration. These practices were stopped after they were called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated individual who went on to be a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that STRS was subsidizing thousands of dollars of child care services to STRS associates. This practice was modified to an "at cost" operation after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that the STRS had paid $5,000 at Christmas to beautify the front lobby at Christmas with poinsettias. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that free college courses were being furnished (by STRS) to desiring STRS associates regardless of whether they received a "C" or a "D" in the college courses. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that reimbursements for unused sick leave/vacation were being given for associates who didn't qualify for them. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.
A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that the STRS had no policy prohibiting the awarding of sick leave accumulation to rehired retirees who were already paid for their accumulated sick leave at their previous public employer. This practice was stopped after it was called to the attention of the entire STRS Board by the a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the STRS Board that the STRS Executive Director was issuing severance cash and severance healthcare insurance to laid off STRS associates without STRS Board approval. This practice has been modified and requires Board approval after it was called to the attention of the STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member disclosed to the Board that they could not use executive session illegally to discuss proposed policies. This practice has been stopped after it was called to the attention of the STRS Board by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member (after listening to STRS retirees' concerns re. Pharmacy Benefits Manager practices) had several fiduciary obligation items included into a PBM contract with a new PBM vendor for STRS. This well-studied and beneficial inclusion was initiated by a non-OEA-affiliated Board member and was presented to the Board.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member advised(to the STRS Board) that secret balloting by STRS Board members in an open STRS Board meeting was not a legal activity. A CORE (Concerned Ohio Retired Educators' member and non-OEA-affiliated retiree) member issued a complaint to the Attorney General, Marc Dann, in reference to this illegal practice. Attorney General Dann advised STRS that this practice was not acceptable. This practice has now been stopped.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of legislators the excessive spending habits of former STRS Board members (and OEA members -- OEA Executive Council also) Jack Chapman, Hazel Sidaway, Eugene Norris, and Debbie Scott. Because of Senate Bill 133 (now since passed and in the Ohio Revised Code) Chapman, Sidaway, Norris, and Scott are prevented from ever running for a seat on the Ohio STRS Board.

A non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member brought to the attention of the legislators of the past practice of at least one STRS Board former member (and OEA-affiliated and former OEA Executive Council Member) had listed on his literature that he was an educator at Perry Local Schools when in fact he never taught at Perry Local Schools. Thanks to this relation to legislators by a non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member this practice will no longer allow an individual using this practice to run for the STRS Board. In short, this practice has now been stopped.

.... in summation, I think we now have a good answer as to why the OEA would want to control the Ohio STRS Board. OEA-affiliated Board members just wouldn't ask these kind of questions or bring these kinds of issues before the entire STRS Board, would they?

Soon, this spring, there will be another STRS Board election for an "active educator" seat on the STRS Board. I would encourage all active educators who read this to consider voting for Dr. Dan Vincent to fill the active seat on the Ohio STRS Board. Dr. Vincent is not OEA-endorsed but I can fairly say (because of this) to you he will approach this seat with an open and inquisitive mind and won't be afraid to ask "hardball" questions of the STRS administration without wondering if his question(s) will have been approved or endorsed by the OEA!

John Curry
A PROUD CORE member

P.S. In case you haven't guessed, the "non-OEA-affiliated STRS Board member" mentioned in all of the above paragraphs is our current STRS Board member, Dr. Dennis Leone. Thank you, Dennis.

Retired Ohio public school educator to one of his former students, Congressman Jim Jordan; and to OH House Speaker Jon Husted: You don't have a clue!

From Duane Tron, March 7, 2008
Subject: A Fistful of "Stinky" Charter School Audits from the Ohio Auditor, Mary Taylor....what more will it take?

Dear Congressman Jordan & Ohio Speaker Husted,

And you insist on continuing to waste our hard earned tax dollars on these worthless money pits that are sucking the life blood out of Ohio's public schools. When are we going to stop funding this miserable 'social' experiment and failure? When are you going to stop touting these corrupt, unaccountable, and unregulated political scams?

We are watching factory after factory close and move Ohio jobs to China and Mexico but God forbid anyone mess with YOUR charter schools. Neither of you are smart enough to figure out that as hundreds of thousands of Ohioans lose their jobs it is undermining Ohio's economic infrastructure. You fail to recognize that as Republicans we have lost our direction, our credibility, and the trust of the people of Ohio. In fact the Republican Party has lost credibility with the American people. I am watching the decline of the Republican Party and you and other Republicans have been so busy doing your own thing you haven't even been wise enough to recognize the plummeting decline of the GOP across the country.

Several so-called economic gurus keep announcing that we aren't in a recession! That's because in Ohio we've been in an economic depression! They're correct! We bypassed the recession and sit and watch company after company close its doors and move OUR jobs to China and Mexico! The Republican Party is going to continue to get the shit kicked out of it until politicians such as yourselves wake up, or we are able to replace you with leaders who realize the magnitude of the crisis we are facing. Congressman, you know me well enough that I rarely utter a profanity but you all are overdosing on 'stupid' pills and the frustration just crops out as a result.

As someone who grew up in hard times I fully realize and understand the magnitude of the crisis facing the people of Ohio and across the entire nation. You can tout your personal political ideology all you want but it isn't going to repair the damage that has been done to the US economy during the past 16 years. Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave right now. Forest Gump said in the movie, "Stupid is as stupid does," and we're witnessing more "stupid" than the American people can afford! Stupid is truly doing the job right now as we have a lot of stupid.

Jim, if you hang onto your ridiculous political ideology when Rome is burning, you will be deemed as irrelevant by future historians. Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures.

A few facts:

• The US government is over two trillion dollars in debt and the debt is projected to go to three trillion dollars by 2009

• The US trade deficit is at the highest level seen in years due to the increasing prices of crude oil and gas prices

• A jump in prices at the pump to $4/gal is going to spark uncontrolled inflation

• The uncontrolled increases in gas prices is going to undermine national security

• US consumers have racked up over one trillion dollars in credit card debt and it continues to increase at unacceptable rates

• Unregulated banks have announced that they are going to increase unsecured credit card interest rates to exceed 28% compounded starting May, 2008

• Unregulated health insurance providers are monopolizing the entire industry and engaging in price rigging of premiums and hospital costs

• There isn't any free market at play in the energy and oil industries as they have a cartel that sets prices across the board. There isn't any competition among oil companies!

• You both talk free markets but we can't buy cheaper prescription meds from Canada as Congress provides "protectionism" for pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the importation of cheaper drugs. You are hypocrites in this respect!

• Companies can get huge tax breaks while shipping US jobs to China and Mexico by the millions while damaging our economy and national security

• We have a health insurance crisis unlike anything I have witnessed during my 63 year life

• We have a Congress that is more interested in investigating steroid use among professional athletes than dealing with a failing economy, people losing their homes in record numbers, and growing unemployment.

Wait until the entire US tax base starts eroding and there isn't enough money to pay for essential services for the American people.

Wait until unemployment hits 15% or higher.

Neither of you are old enough to remember the riots that swept the country in the late 1960's. Neither of you remember turning on the TV and watching major US cities burning amidst rioting and looting. This is why you are unable to envision what I am talking about. Me? I remember the past and I can envision similar scenarios unfolding in the not too distant future in America. You live among a privileged generation that doesn't know what it's like to do without! I grew up on the end of the Great Depression and I know what it's like to live in a four room house with no indoor plumbing, no central heat, no running water, no hot water, raising our own vegetables and canning them, and much more. You don't really understand or appreciate "HARD" times! You've never been there but I'm afraid you're going to get to experience what we experienced and it will be even worse than any time in the past. I am keeping a copy of this letter for future reference to prove what I said to you at this moment in time!

You don't have a clue as to what it's going to be like when fifty million American's don't have good paying jobs and lose their homes. You don't have a clue as to what it's going to be like when the number of uninsured Americans increases from 48 million to one hundred million. You don't have a clue what's going to transpire when millions of Americans default on credit card debt because they can't pay it back. You don't have a clue what's going to take place when local and state governments can no longer collect needed tax revenues to operate. You both think I'm just some stupid and eccentric old man who is full of shit?!

I'm going on record saying neither of you, and most politicians, have a clue as to where we're heading in this country. In 1929, the US government was financially solvent and operating in the black. When the next crash comes the government will be more broke than the American people. The government lacks the financial resources to bail the country out this time. Not good! If you're all so damn smart why didn't you foresee the home mortgage crisis and meltdown that has hit the markets like a semi truck. I listened to Cavuto on Fox repeatedly bring a bunch of kids who're wet behind the ears on TV and announce, "there isn't any crisis in the home mortgage industry!" Right! "There isn't any meltdown in the housing markets and the housing economy!" Right! "Subprime mortgage companies are solid and the markets are just a little jittery!" Right! "We aren't in a recession and we aren't going into a recession!" Right! The housing meltdown is negatively impacting every segment of the economy. Couple this with the out-of-control health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, banks, the ridiculous oil & gas industry, huge tax breaks for major corporations shipping jobs overseas, tax cuts for the wealthiest ten percent of Americans and we have a mess spiraling out of control!

Jim, I am making the following promise. You will see the day that you will think I was the smartest man you ever met! You have my word on it. I might not be around for you to tell me but that day is coming. I just got out of the hospital yesterday after being treated for chest pains and blood pressure issues. My health insurance company wouldn't allow my doctor to keep me in the hospital for necessary medical tests so my doctor had to send me home and schedule the tests on an outpatient basis. The health insurance company told the hospital they had to discharge me Wednesday evening at about 7:00 pm and Mary had to take me back to the hospital at 7:30 am Thursday morning for more medical tests. The moral? Stupidity has taken over this once proud and wonderful country! And I have to pay 20% of the costs out of my pocket for being ill. Sure makes me proud to be a retired educator/teacher who devoted my life to educating children, in substandard facilities, and at substandard wages for most of my life. What a reward for a life of public service? I served six years with the United States Navy during a time of war. I served my community as a volunteer firefighter and member of the EMS for 20+ years only to be so highly rewarded, and held in such high esteem and regard, by those of YOU serving in government!

Blessings to both of you!

Sincerely,

Duane Tron
St. Paris, OH 43072

Subject: A Fistful of "Stinky" Charter School Audits from the Ohio Auditor, Mary Taylor....what more will it take?

State auditor criticizes charter school finances
By Staff report
Dayton Daily News
Friday, March 7, 2008

DAYTON — Five charter schools in the city were cited by Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor's office for financial problems in their annual audits ranging from missing documentation to failing to make payments for worker's compensation and medicare.

The audits, released Thursday, March 6, show two — Academy of Dayton and New City School — with budget deficits of $722,600 and $202,319 respectively at the end of last school year.

Three cited by Taylor were begun by William Peterson, a former charter school superintendent over five schools who resigned under pressure last year.

The schools formerly run by him that were cited are Colin Powell Leadership Academy, Peterson Entrepreneurial Training Enterprise and Arise Sports Management Academy.

All the audits were for the 2006-07 school year except Colin Powell's, which is for the prior year. Powell closed in January after Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann filed suit accusing the school of failing to live up to its requirements as a non-profit because of its poor academic performance.

HB 315 - A better way

From RH Jones, March 8, 2008
Subject: HB 315 - a better way to be found

To all:

While in college studying business for a year and a half, I learned a 6-step simple process to solving a problem. They are:

1. Describe exactly the problem
2. Analyze it
3. Offer a realistic solutions
4. Recommend the most realistic and workable solution
5. Implementation
6. Monitor its effectiveness.

With those steps, a solution to our retired teacher health care (HC) problem can be solved. House Bill 315 is that recommended realistic and workable solution. The opponents of the H.B.315 have given no other realistic and workable solution. Therefore, it makes sense to do the 5th step and implement H.B. 315 - NOW. The learned officials of the present STRS board and the legislature have the authority to monitor it.

The critics of H.B. 315 have stopped at the 3rd of the simple steps. To criticize the conclusion is one thing, but to offer better solution is another. Months after the honorable politicians crafted this wonderful bill, we retired teachers are still painfully waiting for the critics to come up with alternative. Reasonable individuals know that the fact is: There is no realistic or workable alternative! Therefore, the bill should be quickly implemented.

We have waited long enough for a solution for the HC that most of us were promised orally and in writing. Otherwise, we would have taught on for many more years - the expensive alternative to no teacher retiree HC.

This is my learned opinion,

RHJones, a STRS retired member

STRS Retiree spotted on High Street! Please help with healthcare donation for him and his spouse!!

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(Compliments of John Curry)

Lima News: Retired teachers pushing for health plan

From John Curry, March 7, 2008
Subject: Retired teachers pushing for health plan

Retired teachers pushing for health plan

Heather Rutz - Mar. 6th, 2008
Lima News

WAPAKONETA - After a 30-year teaching career, John Curry now works as a security officer.

He doesn't need the money, but he and his wife do need health insurance. Curry, 60, could get the insurance through the State Teachers Retirement System, but the monthly premium would be $850.

"I had to go back to work," Curry said. "I'm working just to afford insurance. Health care costs are crippling retirees."

Curry is one of the retired teachers STRS is trying to help by seeking a change in state law that would increase contributions from public teachers, school districts and public universities by 2.5 percent each, creating a dedicated revenue stream for affordable health care for retired teachers.

Opponents of the plan say it could result in school districts raising property taxes and that STRS is looking for a bail-out after previous boards mismanaged funds.

Local retired teachers, responding to a previous Lima News story, acknowledge the mismanagement, but say those responsible for it were convicted and reforms are now in place.

They also say, with STRS spending $1.3 million a day on health care, the issue, and the amount of money needed to make the health care fund solvent, is greater than past problems.

"Retired teachers are in quite a predicament," said George Doyle, president of Allen County Retired Teachers Association. "We don't want the public thinking we caused this. We can't do anything about the past, but we can change the future."

STRS has provided health care for retirees since the 1970s. None of the five public retirement systems in Ohio is required to provide health care, but they all do.

If STRS no longer provides health insurance for retirees, proponents say, the costs of their care won't go away, and the public would ultimately pay for the uninsured.

Doyle has received his insurance through STRS but in January must switch his coverage to his employer, the Lima-Allen County Chamber of Commerce. STRS is attempting to save money in its plan by making retirees who work, either at another job or in a school district through a retire-rehire program, take that insurance.

Currently, teachers' pensions are funded with 10 percent of teachers' pay and a 14 percent contribution from employers. The health care fund has three sources of income: 1 percent of the 14 percent, premiums and investment earnings on the fund, which stands at about $4 billion.

Kenneth Clemens, an opponent of the bill who became aware of it through his work on a local college board of trustees, believes taxpayers should not be funding teachers' health care. While teachers say taxpayers it is their employers and their own checks pre-funding health care, Clemens points out that it is public money funding schools and teacher salaries.

Tim Myers, an Elida Middle School teacher, is part of a team of teachers across the state advocating the plan and explaining it to school boards and teachers.

The 2.5 percent increase from employers and teachers would be ramped up in 0.5 percent increments over five years, Myers said.

"Districts will save money because older teachers won't stay teaching, at higher salaries, for insurance," Myers said. "The idea that schools are going to go broke because of this doesn't make any sense."

Note from John.....No, I didn't state to this Lima News reporter that, "He (I) doesn't(don't) need the money," (what retiree doesn't?) but the rest of her story covering what I said to her is accurate. In this case it would have been better if both Heather and I would have recorded our five minute conversation over the telephone!

From STRS,February 26, 2008

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
March 6 & 7, 2008

A special meeting of the State Teachers Retirement Board will be held on March 6 and 7, 2008, at the STRS Ohio offices in Columbus, Ohio. The business agenda will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, and resume at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, March 7. The primary purpose of the meeting is a general educational program focusing on investments and financial matters with the Retirement Board's independent investment advisor, Russell Investment Group. The Board may also consider other matters that require its attention.

A meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee for Retreat Review will be held on Friday, March 7, following this special meeting of the Retirement Board.

Mary Ellen Angeletti: Notes on March 6 general education meeting at STRS

From Mary Ellen Angeletti, March 6, 2008
Subject: STRS Meeting, Thursday, March 6th

Chuck and I attended the STRS meeting this morning. I left following lunch at STRS to pass flyers to schools around the STRS area and then picked up Chuck at 3:30 to attend calling hours in Canal Winchester for a friend who passed. The meeting was not over when we left at 3:30.

This meeting was billed by Russell Investments as an educational meeting for the STRS Board members. IT WAS EXCELLENT, and we wish that more folks could have attended. Chuck said to share that he learned a lot today. We were correct in our suspicions. . . today turned out to be a prelude to bad investment news to come. . .probably the next STRS meeting, March 27th. OF course, the market dropped 240 points today so maybe they knew it was coming??? A lot of time was spent on asset allocation and John Osborn of Russell was encouraging the Bd. members to consider higher allocations to alternative & opportunistic investments such as private equity (buy-outs & venture capital), real estate, and a combination of hedge funds, commodities, infrastructure, & opportunistic investments. The goal would be to mute equity market swings while preserving total long-term returns. However, any of these would require outlays of huge fees ($125 million) which Russell feels will make money for STRS. $1 million cost per $1 billion invested. An in-depth discussion of each of these alternatives followed with considerations of risk being most prevalent.

Ernie Ankrim, Chief Investment Strategist at Russell Investments shared his outlook for the market.

...1. He said we do not know what the Fed's surprise rate cut will do.
...2. We don't know what impact the economic stimulus package will have.
(WE STILL ARE NOT SURE IF WE GET THIS.)
...3. We still don't know the magnitude of the balance-sheet damage to the Financial Sector.
...4. Market volatility likely will continue.

This meeting continues tomorrow, Friday, and we encourage all who can to attend on the 5th floor. Mary Ellen & Chuck

RH Jones: Is there no one to speak for me?

From RH Jones, March 5, 2008
Subject: Is there no one to speak for me?

To all:

Concerning H.B. 315, the House Bill that will provide health care (HC) for teachers – Is there no one to speak for me?

‘First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak for me.’

.....~ Attributed to Martin Niemöeller (1892-1984)

Today, I am speaking for myself, as you retired teachers should do also. It may not be what they want to hear; but nevertheless, they need to hear it: Move H.B. 315 out of the FIRES Committee and bring it to a vote!

Research has shown retired teachers two basic facts:

1. Older people vote in larger percentages than younger people.

2. Education of a society will bring prosperity.

We need to know who these legislators are who are against moving Ohio ahead. We need to know our opposition so that we can vote them out-of-office. We retired educators are not the only “Passover lambs”. In the case of H.B.315, the public is being passed-over as well. As part of the total employer benefit package, those who educate the public’s children should be awarded HC in their retirement. Lawfully, it cannot be done without an increase in the employer contribution. The present 14% employer cap does not provide the needed funding. The legislature needs to understand that HC for retired educators is a positive for Ohio. Anything that provides funding for education moves Ohio ahead. HC is part of teacher retirement. We teach, and we taught, and we vote. Both active and retired teachers are together for this H.B. 315. All other educated Ohioans should be too.

The “Buckeye” has fallen from the tree long enough. It is time to pick it up and to start Ohio moving ahead once again. A legislative vote for H.B.315 will be a start in cleaning up the mess.

Robert Hudson Jones, a retired teacher member of the STRS, and a voter.

Wanna see teachers' salaries mentioned in the same breath?

Published on OurFuture.org (http://www.ourfuture.org)
Children Left Behind Under 'No Child Left Behind'
By OurFuture.org Staff
Created 03/04/2008

The "No Child Left Behind" law, as it has been implemented by the Bush administration, has failed in its mission to lift up schools.

• After 7 years of No Child Left Behind, only one in three fourth graders are reading at or above proficiency levels. The policy has left African Americans even further behind: only one in 10 black fourth graders are reaching these levels.

• Over the past 10 years, the average salary for public schoolteachers increased only 1.3 percent after adjusting for inflation, not enough to keep pace with the soaring costs of housing, health care and gasoline.

• Nearly half of all teachers leave the profession during their first five years.

• Only 70 percent of entering freshmen and barely half of students of color finish high school with a regular diploma four years later. Every school day, nearly 7,000 American high school students become dropouts.

Bad news for ORTA

From Duane Tron, March 3, 2008
Subject: Re: Can't distribute campaign literature at your friendly local RTA?

Dear Retirees,

I have some bad news for ORTA! Any member can independently pass out ANY and ALL campaign literature at ANY ORTA, RTA, or ANY other meeting they so choose! To prohibit the peaceful dissemination of ANY campaign literature, and or political literature at ANY meeting, and or event, violates a person's First Amendment Rights under the United States Constitution and constitutes censorship.

Who in the hell do they think they are? During recent years I have encountered some of the most ignorant people regarding Constitutional Law and issues, I can recall in my lifetime. No wonder some politicians are pushing to stop teaching social studies in the public schools. If you can control the minds of the people you can control the people. Ah! Now we know their true motives!

ORTA must believe they are the "thought" and "mind" police for ALL retirees. I remember some ridiculous lawyer standing up at an Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators Conference in Columbus, years ago and saying to us, "If you do this, if you do that, I guarantee you that you'll get sued!" I stood up and raised my hand and he smiled and asked me, "You have a question?" I responded, "No, I have a response! Hell, if I was afraid of getting sued I wouldn't even get up and get out bed and go to work everyday! In fact I wouldn't have even gone into teaching and coaching let alone become a school administrator!" Everyone laughed but I had hit an important point! The reason I was always an effective and competent school administrator is because I never run scared and I didn't go to work worrying about who might sue me. Like I said, "Heck this is America where any idiot or fool, can sue anyone for anything!"

Am I afraid of the leadership at ORTA? You must be kidding! They aren't even knowledgeable enough in legal matters to be able to tie my shoes. They can't legally prohibit any active or retired educator from passing out campaign literature at any meeting open to ALL retirees. In fact, they can't prohibit any person from doing same, regardless of who they are. As long as a person doesn't disrupt the meeting or deny others their right to be heard they don't have the authority to enact any such rule! These rights are protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. I learned this in my first Constitutional Law course that I took in college when I was studying to become an attorney. I decided to become a classroom teacher after I discovered how low people had to stoop in order to become a quote "SUCCESSFUL" lawyer in this country.

Let me explain law to you. How do you think Senator John Edwards became a multi- multi-millionaire attorney? You know, "Mr. Champion" of the little people? The same Senator Edwards who campaigned on how he was going to help the "little" people? Like most successful lawyers, he and his associates took 50% to 68% of every settlement they won in court and left the crumbs to be divided up among thousands of plaintiffs. And people want to know why I don't like lawyers! I sat in courtrooms for three years and observed and listened to some of the most incompetent trial lawyers, judges, prosecutors and other legal professionals you will find. And many of these same people go on record questioning the quality and dedication of classroom teachers. They file frivolous lawsuits against teachers, coaches, principals, and on and on so someone can make a sleazy buck.

I worked for a judge who was about as bright as a turd and I'm being kind. When I asked him once why we didn't bring parents into court and hold them accountable for the actions of underage children he looked at me and honest-to-God said, "That would violate the Constitutional Rights of the parents." Violate the Constitutional Rights of the parents??? I was raised under the impression that if we bring children into this world and are charged with raising them, it is our "DUTY" to make our children accountable for their behavior; therefore that makes parents accountable for the behavior of their children at home, in the community, and at school. Not according to this nitwit! Let me tell you what he told me in closed chambers one time. "If I had known what all was involved in being a juvenile and probate court judge I would have never run for the office. I had no idea what I was doing when it came to adjudicating juvenile offenders when I came into this job!" I wanted to tell him "And you still don't" but I would have been fired on the spot. And I quote under oath and will take a polygraph exam to this effect that every word is true. Makes you proud to work for the courts doesn't it??!!

Folks, give me a classroom teaching job any day! I want to go on record by pointing out that I listened to numerous attorneys for organizations like OSBA, OASSA, OAESA, OEA and other groups issue warnings of dire consequences for those of us who ignored their many pronouncements and warnings. Do you know how many times one or more of them promised me that I would be sued before I ended my public school service of 31 years? I can't begin to count! They all told me "One of these days you're going to get sued, and wait until you're sitting up on that stand and being grilled in a court of law. Then you'll understand what we're trying to tell you!" How many times did I get sued during my 31 years? NONE! NADA! Why not? It's called knowing the law and it's called using "common sense." You know? That ancient artifact of "America's Past" that has been lost and buried along the way from all of the tort attorneys and their frivolous lawsuits!

Let me tell you some of the things I did. I used to let religious groups use school facilities after school hours and I never endorsed them or promoted them in any way, shape, or form. I used to allow student groups to have permission to rally around the flagpole for prayer in the mornings before school took up. I never publicized the event, nor endorsed it in any way, or encouraged it, but I stood out of sight and monitored student conduct to make sure there weren't any problems. You know it's called The First Amendment! We had a Youth for Christ group that asked to use the facilities in the evenings after school hours and they filled out the paperwork and I approved it every time. We had teachers who met in religious share groups in classrooms before school hours and it wasn't any of my business. Athletes would come and ask if they could have prayer before games and I told them as long as the coach left the room and they didn't force anyone to participate. If it was student-sponsored and spontaneous, it was legal. I just never endorsed any such activities and left it up to the students. I had an ACLU idiot attorney tell me she was going to file against us for the morning prayer sessions around the flagpole and I told her to go ahead! I asked her how she could sue the school, or me, for allowing students to freely exercise their First Amendment rights on their own time and their own dime? She said they were engaging in prayer on school property with our permission and I asked, "so?" I told her we're not endorsing anything and not supporting it in any way apart from allowing free expression on their own time and NOT on school time. I asked her where the violation was occurring! She couldn't answer me! She walked out of my office and I never heard from her again! So! Sue ME!

One arrogant ACLU idiot told me once, "after all we're nation of laws, founded upon laws!" I asked him "whose laws, yours or mine?" He said "based on decisions rendered in courts of law." I asked him "which court, in what state, in what year, what jurisdiction, and what were the outcomes?" He said, "it depends!" I said "in other words if we base our behavior toward religion in public places on past court rulings you are ALL wrong! Based on history the courts have sided with organized religion in the overwhelming majority of cases heard since the inception of the Constitution." He tried and debate this point with a bunch of mindless dribble that met his progressive and secularist viewpoint and NOT case law based in history! Case Closed!

Go ahead and pass out campaign literature at RTA meetings and even ORTA gatherings if you want! What are they going to do, try and have you arrested? If they have you arrested then you CAN SUE them and you should retain some sleazy lawyer to represent you! You'll win this one!

Duane Tron St. Paris, OH

Legal Background and Vitae:
...Undergraduate Studies Leading toward a Degree in Law
...Served as a Congressional Intern on Capitol Hill
...Worked with a Juvenile Court for five years prosecuting juvenile
......offenders
...Commissioned as a Juvenile Probation Officer
...Served as Director of a Juvenile Boot Camp and Rehabilitative
......Program
...Served as an Adult Corrections Officer
...Commissioned as a Certified Fire Safety Inspector with The State of
......Ohio
...Commissioned as a Certified Fire Marshal with an area fire agency in
......Ohio
...Presently working for . . . . . . . . (unnamed)

Can't distribute STRS Board campaign literature at your friendly local RTA?

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Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When the ORTA Police come for you?

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In the UK, the government negotiates directly with the pill makers, not PBMs

From John Curry, March 1, 2008
Subject: Fw: You see, in the UK the govt. negotiates with the pillmakers!

Why can you get almost any Rx in the UK for about 5 bucks for a prescription? Here's why...the govt. negotiates with the pillmakers and not your friendly local PBM! If the pillmakers weren't making any money on the sale do you think they would offer to sell the drug to the Brits? Of course, here in the U.S., the middlemen inject their profit motive into the mix before you get the final product in your hand. Looks like it's time to negotiate another U.K./pillmaker contract and I'm sure, when all is said and done, that the Brits will still walk away with almost any Rx for far under 10 bucks a pop. Those socialist Brits (tongue in cheek)! Hey....I thought we modeled our government to be similar to theirs! Of course, their legislators aren't bought off like our legislators who are almost daily wined and dined by lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry, are they?

John

Ministers to scrap medicines price deal

By Andrew Jack
Published: February 28 2008, Financial Times (ft.com)

UK

The government is poised to scrap the pricing mechanism for prescription medicines, setting a deadline of September 1 for the launch of a new deal with drug companies.

In a letter to be sent as soon as Friday, the Department of Health will inform the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the trade body, that it is giving notice on the mechanism, according to people with knowledge of the plans.

The change, triggered in part by Treasury pressure for spending cuts and a series of recent official reports calling for reforms, comes almost 2½ years before the scheduled end of the complex mechanism, called the pharmaceutical price regulation system.

The notification follows indications last year from Alan Johnson, the health secretary, that he wanted to renegotiate the pharmaceutical price regulation system, and was seeking to achieve a significant proportion of a 3 per cent cut in total departmental spending through a reduction in the £11bn medicines bill.

It also suggests significant progress towards agreement on a new set of terms between the government and the industry.

Under the terms of the existing pharmaceutical price regulation system, negotiated in 2005 and due to last until 2010, either the ABPI or the government must give six months’ notice to the other side.

The industry had opposed the calls for change, arguing that the PPRS provided a degree of long-term predictability and stability in pricing, and that it had already imposed an across-the-board price cut of 7 per cent on all prescription medicines.

Government officials are believed to have called for a 10 per cent price cut again this year in their opening negotiations, while the ABPI has argued that any fresh reduction should be compensated by incentives to re-ward innovation and boost the uptake of new medicines.

A revised mechanism may seek savings through scrapping the inclusion of “branded generics” – prescription medicines which have come off patent and which helped to allow drug companies to minimise the impact of the 7 per cent price cut by reducing prices far more on products with lower margins.

It will need to take into account a recent report from the Office of Fair Trading to introduce a pricing system more closely aligned to new medicines, their value in improving treatment and their cost effectiveness.

OEA opposes increase in teacher licensure fees; but where were they when YOUR MONEY was being squandered?

.........and what's their problem with criminal background checks?

From John Curry, February 29, 2008
Subject: educator licensing taking a sharp increase and the OEA needs to go back to school

It appears as though active educators will be facing a significant increase in licensing for future years. The OEA has apparently gone on record as opposing the placing of this increase on actives' backs. That I can understand.

Where was the OEA when their members dominated the STRS board while wining and dining on educators' monies and failing to properly plan ahead for rapidly increasing healthcare costs like OPERS did? Of course....that whole group of OEA-affiliated STRS Board members went on to get Ohio ethics convictions and we retirees went on to get a trashing of spousal subsidies, didn't we? Where was the OEA news release and appeal to educators when this occurred?

I also find an inaccuracy in one part of the OEA's statement which reads, "OEA asks the State Board of Education to eliminate potential redundancy in the dual FBI and BCI background checks and to urge the state to assume those costs as well." The OEA should be informed that a criminal background check through the Ohio B.C.I. & I. only reveals criminal history of persons who committed crimes in Ohio....guess they didn't believe that potential Ohio educators could have moved to this state after they committed a felony or serious misdemeanor in another state, did they? It wouldn't be the first time!

I do speak from experience as I have both arrested and/or booked in hundreds of prisoners into my county's jail as both a certified law enforcement officer and as a certified correction officer by the State of Ohio during and after retiring from my teaching career. Criminal arrest records and finger prints go to BOTH the Ohio B.C.I. & I. AND the FBI...just like all other states' law enforcement agencies do in this country. Ohio doesn't keep criminal records for those arrested in other states and the other states don't keep records of arrests made in Ohio....that's why arrest records have to be checked out in both the state and federal (FBI) data banks. This is not redundancy, this is reality! The article to which I refer can be viewed here.

John

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