Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, December 2, 2013

12-2-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.

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






Karen Lewis. “So let me get this straight.”
  So let me get this straight. The General Assembly will cut pensions for people who broke the color and gender barrier in order to work for the State, but will hand over tax breaks to ADM and Home Depot. We are truly living in bizarro world. Call your state legislators. - Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis

Jerry Mulvihill. A Letter to Representative Hurley.
Hi Fred, Thanks for everything you are doing! Don’t know if you saw this but this is the email response I got from Rep. Fran Hurley after I emailed her the other day. My response to her is below as well. We are working hard in 64 (the Park Ridge Education Association) to keep the calls coming in to legislators. Thanks gain and we will keep hoping for a defeat of this BS!!! -Jerry   Fran, Thank you


Rockford teachers protest pension cuts.
  Hi Fred Just to let you know we’ve been keeping up with CPS via your blog. Here are some of us in front of the Zeke Georgi building in Rockford. - Carolyn Grune – REA teacher & activist.
Representative Robyn Gabel targeted by teachers and other retirees.
From the Evanston Roundtable: Teachers Protest at Rep. Gabel’s office By Larry Gavin Approximately 20 retired and active teachers and state workers met with Matt Trewartha, legislative aide to State Representative Robyn Gabel, in the lobby outside Rep. Gabel’s Evanston office on Dec. 2. They urged that she vote “no” on proposed pension legislation that was scheduled to be cons
Karl Gabbey Democratic Precinct Committeeman, Precinct 56, Bloomingdale Township. Another letter to Representative Mussman.
This is my letter to Michelle Mussman shortly after she voted for Madigan’s SB 1 at the beginning of last last summer. Curiously, she did not respond. Mussman calls herself an “Independent Democrat.” The “Independent Democrat” label was printed on her campaign signs at least during her first “soccer mom” campaign… Karl Dear Michelle, Your “Yea” vote on Madigan’s pension cutting bill(s) just turned
Retiree rebellion. The heat is on.
    At Representative Michelle Mussman’s office in Schaumburg. Photos: Fred Klonsky   Angry retirees and active teachers line Dempster in front of Senator Biss’ office. Photo: Mark Stefanik. I haven’t heard from around the state yet. But, I was up in Schaumburg this afternoon at Representative Michelle Mussman’s office. Along with nearly 100 other union members including active and retired teac


Bob Lyons. Dear Representative Michelle Mussman.
- Bob Lyons is a TRS trustee. Michelle, I can recall a conversation from just a couple of years ago with Representative Elaine Nekritz where she said, “Of course we need to cut your pension benefits, but we can’t because you’re already retired.”   She knew then it was unconstitutional.  But when the legislators looked at how many billions that they felt they need to save they came back to u
Here is what the Illinois House and Senate are voting on this week. It takes 325 pages to describe how they are going to steal our pensions.
Here is a copy of the Senate Bill 1. It takes 325 pages to describe how the state of Illinois will violate the state constitution and steal our pensions. 325 pages. The members of the House and Senate just got copies of it this noon today. They must be speed readers. Thieves of speed.
Pension Emergency Day in Illinois. Reporting in.
  Skokie Organization of Retired Educators (S.O.R.E.) IEA Retired at Representative Laura Fine’s office. Photo: Representative Laura Fine. Ten of us met with north suburban Representative Laura Fine. We could have had thirty or more. But this was a cordial meeting. Not a rally. Fine was one of the good guys who voted against Senate Bill 1 back in May. But will she stick to her principles tomorrow

Ellen Gradman. Pension theft.
  Graphic: Ellen Gradman.

Bev Johns. What does the Illinois Constitution say about cutting pension benefits? Unfortunately, whatever 4 justices on the Illinois Supreme Court decide it says.
. - Bev Johns is a Special Needs and public schools advocate and activist. There is a need for all-out political action before the Illinois House and Senate votes on cutting pensions on Tuesday. What does the Illinois Constitution say about cutting pension benefits? Unfortunately, whatever four justices on the Illinois Supreme Court decide it says. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is confi


Friends.
. This morning as I head for a round of Illinois legislative district offices I am grieving. I’ve lost a friend. Not a real friend. A Facebook friend. Apparently David Ormsby has defriended me. Unfriended? Disenfriended?  This has happened before and losing a friend, even a virtual friend, isn’t an easy time for me. A few years ago Charlie McBarron, the Director of Communications for the IEA cut
  
12-1-13 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.: The cranky one is publishing the times and locations of tomorrow’s We Are One pension rallies.Here are the times and locations of tomorrow’s pension rallies at local representatives’ offices: AFSCME • Rockford – Stadelman/Syverson, Jefferson o Start Time: 10 a.m. o Transportation: Self. (Parking is pl