Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, November 4, 2013

11-4-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:




IEA Retired RA delegate ballots are in the mail. Keep an eye on your mailbox.
According to IEA election rules, over 9,000 ballots are in the mail to members of IEA Retired. We will be electing 18 at-large delegates and one ethnic minority delegate to the IEA Representative Assembly. Ballots must be mailed back and received by Springfield no later than December 11th. Rarely are there more than 2,000 ballots returned. Perhaps that is why IEA leadership gives little attention

Ten minute drawing. “You people.”



Bob Lyons. “Not this week, but later.”
Bob Lyons is one of two members of the TRS board of trustees representing retirees. He writes: I can tell you, now that it has been reported in the press, that the four legislative leaders have agreed in principle to a pension reduction plan that has gone to the system actuaries to total up the full  “savings “ to the state.  Their goal was to arrive at a reduction number greater than the Culle

November Illinois veto session. Pensions again?
  House Speaker Michael Madigan. Like the Cubs winning the World Series in 2014, it could happen. But probably not. The Illinois General Assembly will meet this week in veto session. They are not likely to meet again until the next regular session in January. And they are unlikely to pass a pension bill. Good news and bad news. The good news is that we still will receive the pension that is owed


The in box. “It seems to me that organizations like the IRTA, IEA and CTU should be putting energy and money into the campaign of Mr.Guzzardi.”
Fred, It seems to me that organizations like the IRTA, IEA and CTU should be putting energy and money into the campaign of Mr.Guzzardi. Supporting candidates like this would be a message to Mr. Madigan and others that educators have a voice, a substantial one at that. It appears that our political investments do not always line up with our political interests. I’m unsure how these decisions are ev



11-3-13 Fred Klonsky Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Sunday reads.  Chris Christie is a bully. The Jersey Jazzman interviews the teacher who had the nerve to challenge New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with the truth. What is behind those sky-high charter salaries. Nice work if you can get it. Common Core. “Consider the source.” Consider it indeed: UNO