The IEA leadership’s challenge to the members. And what to do.
Over the past couple of days I have engaged you in a discussion of three issues that the IEA leadership considers Challenging Issues.
These three issues are: Protection of our retirement benefits, teacher tenure and seniority rights.
All three are under attack by the so-called Reformers. The Reformers have identified them as key obstacles to addressing school improvement and the state’s budget disaster.
It is a hoax. They are a diversion.
Nothing about tenure and seniority impacts student learning. The problems in the state’s budget and economy were not caused by teacher pensions. The state owes a debt to our pension system, but putting a tax on our own benefits after we retire is punitive and a betrayal of a promise made to teachers.
The stance of our union should be to protect and defend the rights we have already won.