Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, August 29, 2013

8-29-13 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.:




Illinois Retired Teachers Association President Gary Elman addresses TRIP and Medicare issues.
Given the concerns about the Teacher Retirement Insurance Program and Medicare, I asked IEA President some questions in an earlier post. She offered a prompt response. I also asked Illinois Retired Teachers Association President Gary Elman the same opportunity. Full disclosure: I am a member of both organizations. President Elman responded: Thanks for asking, Fred. First, congratulations for orga

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky joins Chicago fast-food strikers.
  Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky joins fast-food strikers in downtown Chicago today. Congresswoman Schakowsky will be joining with members of SORE (the Skokie Organization of Retired Educators), a new chapter of IEA – Retired, at our first luncheon. She will be discussing issues of Social Security and Medicare protection against those who would deny workers their promised retirement benefi

Q and A with IEA President Cinda Klickna on the Teacher Retirement Insurance and Medicare.
  IEA President Cinda Klickna. Last week IEA President Cinda Klickna sent out the following information to IEA members. On Aug. 21, the Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) Committee met with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS).  The committee is made up of representatives from the Illinois Education Association (IEA), Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Illin

A reader thinks I don’t understand pensions. Ouch.
Fred, Unfortunately, I think you misunderstand pension reform. It would not take away the pension of retirees. Instead, pension reform as proposed in IL would curtail the defined benefit pension benefits that are earned in the future. - Anonymous Dear Anonymous, Well, nobody’s perfect. However, if passed SB1 would have: Eliminated current cost of living adjustments Delayed the age of the cola ad

Illinois House pension bombers? Primary them! Will Guzzardi for State Rep.
  Will Guzzardi. Will Guzzardi announced today that he is running for State Representative from my district. The incumbent is Toni Berrios. She is the daughter of the corrupt boss of the Cook County Democratic Party, Joe Berrios. This is a rematch. Will Guzzardi lost by just 125 votes two years ago. There is a lot of issues that recommend Guzzardi. I care deeply about one. Toni Berrios voted for

8-28-13 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.: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Drones for Safe Passage.“There’s still a big safety issue, especially with the small ones,” said Chicago Alderman George Cardenas of the 12th Ward. “They have a tendency to crash from time to time. So now you have something with spinning blades over the top of children that cou