Saturday coffee and the Pension Reform Revolt « Fred Klonsky

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky:

Saturday coffee.

by Fred Klonsky

Chicago teachers marched past Marshall High School during the strike.

Anne and I took two cars to Peets this morning.

After my latte and bagel I headed off to Marshall High School on Chicago’s west side.

The CTU and other community and parent groups are meeting all day today to talk about the next steps. They are calling it an education summit.

There are issues of funding, curriculum, school closings and charters. And, of course, an elected school board.

The summit began in the beautiful auditorium of Marshall. The building is an architectural gem.

As CTU VP Jesse Sharkey pointed out in his opening speech that Marshall’s well-maintained building stands as 

Illinois Retired Teacher Association Executive Director James Bachman on the Nekritz bill.

by Fred Klonsky

IRTA Executive Director Jim Bachman wrote this letter to the editor regardng the HB6258, the Nekritz Bill.  IRTA members should contact local IEA Region offices to reserve a free seat on one of the buses going to Springfield on January 3rd. The bus from the north suburbs will be leaving Golf Mill around 6AM and returning around 6Pm.  Buses from the western suburbs will depart Metea Valley High School, 1801 North Eola Road in Aurora. They leave around 7AM and return around 6PM.

The latest version of Pension “reform” legislation introduced by Representative Nekritz, D-Northbrook is an improbable step backward in efforts to save public pensions.
Foremost in it regression is language that impairs and diminishes the constitutionally-guaranteed pension benefits being received by current retirees.  There is one indisputable fact that cannot be 

Ten minute drawing. Don’t f**k with my COLA!

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 1 day ago

The in box. Glen Brown comments on my post: The impact of benefit cuts.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 1 day ago

…If legislators can breach contractual obligations through legislation (such as HB 6258), the entire middle class will “pay” the consequences. There will be extensive and devastating economic outcomes for the entire State of Illinois if its public employees are robbed of their earned and constitutionally-guaranteed benefits. The attack on public employees is an attack on [...]

What’s happening in Michigan.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 1 day ago

The impact of benefit cuts to legislative districts and the state’s economy.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 1 day ago

In the latest issue of The Advocate, the publication of the Illinois State University Retirement System (SURS) there is a fascinating chart. It’s a PDF. Scroll down to the chart that shows the benefits received bv SURS members in each state representative and senatorial district. It totals over $1.2 billion. And that is just for [...]

There is no pension benefit crisis.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 1 day ago

To paraphrase Nobel winning economist and NY Times columnist in his piece this morning, “Let’s get this straight. Illinois is not facing a pension benefit crisis.” There is a state funding crisis. The political leaders of this state, both Republicans and Democrats, refuse to address the fact that they can’t pay their bills by taxing [...]

If you are a public employee, active teacher or retiree in the Chicago north suburbs.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 1 day ago

Pension Rally Springfield Legislators introduced HB 6258 this week. If passed, this legislation will: Increase your Retirement Age Decrease your pay Reduce your Cost of Living Adjustment Join us in rallying at the Capitol on January 3, 2013. A bus will be leaving from the Church Street side of Golf Mill Shopping Center (near [...]

Ten minute drawing. From the US Senate to the Stupid Hall of Fame. A short trip.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 2 days ago

Click on drawing to enlarge.

Pensions, Rhode Island and get your butt to Springfield.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 2 days ago

Once again, Glen does a great job of giving us the facts about the Nekritz bill and the other threats to our pensions. And John explains Cash Balance Plans. If these two guys didn’t already exist, I would have to create them in my basement laboratory. When there are these two bloggers at your disposal, [...]

The in box. Glen Brown’s latest on HB 6258.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 2 days ago

From Glen Brown’s blog: House Bill 6258 Reforms for Tier 1 Members (public employees hired before 2011) · Cost-of-living adjustments apply only to the first $25,000 of the employees’ pension · That limit is reduced to the first $20,000 for employees eligible for Social Security · COLAs are delayed until the employee turns 67 or five years after retirement, [...]

Ten minute drawing. Arne’s toilet joke.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 2 days ago

Here are the bill’s sponsors.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 2 days ago

Here are the sponsors of HB6258 which would destroy pensions for active and retired teachers. If you know one or more of them (and I know some of you do!) call them and express your profound displeasure. Rep. Elaine Nekritz - Daniel Biss - David Harris - Chris Nybo, Kelly Burke, Kelly M. Cassidy, William Cunningham, Robyn Gabel, Ann Williams, Linda Chapa LaVia, William Davis, Sara Feigenholtz, Jehan A. Gordon, Greg Harris, Elizabeth [...]

More Illinois Bizarro World pension news. Where up is down, black is white and Democrats are Republicans.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 2 days ago

Every day brings more evidence that Bizarro World is more than a sixties comic book. It is the state we live in. Recall that in Bizarro World everything is the opposite of the real world. In the real world Democrats appear to be the defenders of social programs, Social Security and Medicare. In the current [...]

Bizarro World Democrat Nekritz’s latest pension killer. She takes pride in her anti-union positions.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 3 days ago

State Representative Elaine Nekritz. A Bizarro World Democrat. Only in Illinois, the Bizarro World of Democratic Party politics, would a Democratic State Representative sit next to a teacher union activist and proclaim proudly that state unions detest her. Yet that is exactly what Representative Elaine Nekritz did at an Illinois Retired Teacher Association luncheon a [...]

Nekritz’s latest pension plan would cost retirees thousands in cost of living adjustments. And that’s just the beginning of the bad stuff.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 3 days ago

Greg Hinz is reporting the latest version of Squeezy the Pension Killing Cobra coming from Representative Nekritz. The state would reduce our cost of living adjustment. What do we get? The state would pay what they owe. Well that’s a win-win, wouldn’t you say? From Crain’s: Specifically, cost-of-living hikes would be limited to the first [...]

Ten minute drawing. Don’t mess with my TRS-S-S-S-S-S-S!

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 3 days ago

Welcome to Bizarro World.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 4 days ago

Back in the sixties there was a comic book called Bizarro World. Also known as Htrae, which is Earth spelled backwards, of course. Everything was backwards in Bizarro World. They followed the Bizzaro Code: ”Us do opposite of all Earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness! Is big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro [...]

Remembering Fred.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 4 days ago

On December 4th, 1969 Chicago Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton was killed in his bed by the Chicago police under the direction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cook County States Attorney Edward Hanrahan. While no official was ever charged or convicted of the crime, the families of Hampton and Mark Clark, also [...]

Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 4 days ago

Word is slowly getting out regarding plans to stop the attack on public employee pensions by those in the state legislature who call themselves political leaders. I am told that each IEA Region will have buses available for active and retired teachers to go to Springfield January 3rd and 4th during the lame duck session. [...]

Tony at the Red Line Tap

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 4 days ago

“Got any of that IPA from Greenbush in Three Oaks Michigan,” I asked Marty. “Just got a couple of cases in,” she said. “Well, perfect,” I said pulling up a stool. “Hey,” I said to Tony. “It’s been a while.” “For you,” said Tony. “I haven’t moved from this spot in years.” “Some of us [...]

The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 5 days ago

When IEA member Neil Parthun wrote to IEA Director of Communications about their promotion of Papa John’s Pizza, which is owned by anti-union money bags John Schnatter, he received the following reply. “Thank you for your email.We are well aware of the political comments of the owner of Papa John’s. Obviously, his comments not only [...]

The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 5 days ago

From Glen Brown’s blog. Our Pension Assumptions Are Fine by Dick Ingram, Executive Director of the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System To the Wall Street Journal: Your Nov. 23 editorial “Illinois the ‘Unfixable’” doesn’t provide your readers with an accurate view of investments made by the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System. You note that the TRS investment return in [...]

Spain Rodgriquez. RIP.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 5 days ago

Click on image to enlarge. NY Times Obit.

The Sunday Mail.

Fred Klonsky at Fred Klonsky - 5 days ago

After two weeks on the road, I’m back to my normal blogging schedule. Anne and I drove to Brooklyn to spend Thanksgiving with our New York family. We dropped off some school supplies at PS 90 in Coney Island. It was hit hard by Hurrican Sandy. The supplies were donated by my old colleagues at [...]

Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Announces New Appointments

Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Announces New Appointments:

District Announces New Appointments

by Melissa Westbrook

From SPS Communications (bold mine):

After six months as your Superintendent, it has been a pleasure to get to know our schools, staff, students and families. I know this has been a time of change, and I am looking forward to solidifying our team to ensure we are all working together in the best interest of our students.

Today I am pleased to announce several appointments in our District.  I will also be providing you with some additional information regarding specifically the Teaching & Learning Department, just prior to the holiday break.

The following are announcements regarding staff new to the central office and/or in new positions:

·         Special Education:  I am appointing Stacey McCrath-Smith to the permanent position of Director of Special Education.  Stacey has served as the interim director and has done a great job stepping into the role and helping to bring stability to the department.  I want to thank Phil Brockman, BiHoa Caldwell, 

In Albuquerque, A Charter School that Recruits Drop-Outs? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

In Albuquerque, A Charter School that Recruits Drop-Outs? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

In Albuquerque, A Charter School that Recruits Drop-Outs?

by Anthony Cody

Last month I visited ACE Leadership High School, a charter school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What I saw there challenged some of my thinking about this sector.

As regular readers know, I have been critical of efforts to expand charter schools, which are often in competition with regular public schools for students and funding. I have cited reasons of fairness, because some charter schools are selective about who they admit, accepting fewer special education and English learners, and losing lower performers through attrition. But in Albuquerque, I found an exception to this pattern.
The Architecture, Construction and Engineering Leadership High School is in a light industrial building on the north edge of old town Albuquerque. When I visited recently, students were in the throes of preparing for an exhibition of their work, projects focused on various aspects of fractals. Students start their day with a meeting in a large open area in the center of the building. Teachers make announcements, reminding students about projects that are due. Since visitors are here, they are reminded of one of the school's guiding statements: "Build your reputation."

The students then did some calisthenics on the carpet, and visitors joined in, though I am afraid I was not quite up to speed on the pushups. Once this was over, students 

10 truisms of capitalism from the mouths of robber barons » peoplesworld

10 truisms of capitalism from the mouths of robber barons » peoplesworld:

10 truisms of capitalism from the mouths of robber barons

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by: NORMAN MARKOWITZ

november 13 2008

tags: capitalism, economy, labor, worker rights, history

The callousness and greed of today’s bankers, financiers and corporate CEOs calls to mind the 19th century robber barons. Here’s a relevant sample of classic statements made by some of the worst U.S. capitalists in history. 

1. “We are not in business for our health.” A statement attributed to J.P. Morgan, when fellow parishioners in New York’s Trinity Church criticized him for “investing” church funds in lucrative East Side slum property. Capitalists have never been in business for anybody’s health and today that is most evident for banks, pharmaceutical firms and insurance companies. 

2. “What do I care about the law. Ain’t I got the power?” A quote from the early great robber baron Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose most recent relatives produced designer clothes and, in the case of Wyatt Cooper of CNN, have become TV news people. Vanderbilt’s statement gives us insight into the capitalist class view of legality, namely that it is something to manipulate and enforce to increase capitalist wealth and power, and to be undermined and, where possible, ignored when it seeks to regulate or limit capitalist wealth and power. 

3. “The public be damned!” A quote attributed to Cornelius Vanderbilt’s son, William, in response to popular criticism of his creation of a private monopoly in New York street transit and his subsequent doubling of the fares. Today capitalists have PR firms to make sure that they are never caught saying “the public be damned,” but their policies in most areas continue in that vein. 

William, by the way, was very badly treated by his father until he won dad over during the Civil War by cheating (according to anti-monopoly scholars) Union Army cavalry stationed on Staten Island, N.Y., on the price of hay that he was selling them from a farm. Then his father finally respected him and took him into the business. 

4. “I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half.” A very famous quote attributed to robber baron Jay Gould, whose fellow big capitalists called him the “Mephistopheles of Wall Street.” Actually, the struggle to unite the working class, to fight against all forms of racist and other prejudices, is an attempt to prevent Gould’s boast from being carried forward in policy — which capitalists in their use of some workers, immigrants and minorities to break strikes, along with police and militia drawn from the working class, have done many times in the past, especially before the enactment of federal labor laws in the 1930s. 

5. “In a Republican district I was a Republican. In a Democratic district, I was a Democrat. But I was always for Erie.” Another quote from Jay Gould explaining his and most capitalists’ approach to politics. The Erie Railroad was a company he both controlled and used in a number of wildly corrupt activities in the 1870s. The quote shows the capitalist class conception of representative government and its approach to non-communist, non-socialist political parties. 

At one point, Gould and Cornelius Vanderbilt were bribing New York state legislators, hand over fist, in a battle to obtain railroad franchises. The cost of bribes got so high that they actually held a meeting in Albany, the state capital, to fix the price of bribes (a sort of bribe cap) to protect their interests. 

6. “God gave me my money.” A quote attributed to a frustrated John D. Rockefeller, in response to critical inquiries about how he had attained his wealth. Rockefeller was a religious man, but the quote gives us insight into the capitalist view of religion as a justification for inequality and exploitation. Rockefeller endowed religious and secular charities, practicing what Andrew Carnegie, a fellow great capitalist, called the “gospel of wealth,” that is, charity from the rich as a substitute for public social programs. 

Tax reform led by political progressives also led Rockefeller and other like-minded big capitalists to set up foundations which enabled them to spend monies for charitable purposes that otherwise they would, in large part, have had to turn over to the government, and also provided them with good PR. 

7. “Character.” The response that J.P. Morgan, near the end of his life, gave to a congressional committee in 1911 investigating his enormous finance capitalist empire. Morgan probably believed it. Like the great capitalists who called themselves “captains of industry” and “industrial statesmen,” he saw himself as superior not only to workers but also to small businessmen, professionals and politicians in the great market struggle of life and the corporations he created. For the great capitalists, the wealth they garnered was proof of their moral superiority. When Morgan died in 1913, the syndicate of industrial/bank capital that made up the Morgan interests controlled an estimated 13 percent of the investment capital of the world. Today, corporate leaders and even many of their small imitators have adopted the military term CEO to replace the 19th century “captain of industry.” 

8. “What good is $10 million if you can’t have real money.” A statement from Jesse Livermore explaining his suicide in the 1930s. Livermore was a famous Wall Street speculator of the 1920s who lost most of his wealth in the Depression. At the time of his suicide, creditors were closing in but he still possessed $10 million. This shows in effect the difference between what capitalists and workers (including those who call themselves middle class) think about money. I don’t know what Livermore would have said when he heard that John McCain defined being rich today as having a $5 million annual income — although McCain (who didn’t deal with total assets of course) would probably see men like Livermore as the kind of “entrepreneur” on whom American progress and prosperity was based (the way men like Livermore were seen in mass media before the Great Depression). Certainly McCain and fellow Republicans would do what they could to keep Livermore’s taxes as low as possible and to bail him out financially, regardless of what that meant for taxpayers. 

9. “There are no social classes in America. Only the middle class.” A wildly irrational statement, proclaiming in effect a capitalist “classless society,” attributed to Herbert Hoover in the 1920s. Hoover found out the hard way that there was a working class which would not passively accept his platitudes that “the economy is fundamentally sound” and federal relief “would rot the moral fiber of the people.” While Hoover was not in the same league as Rockefeller, Morgan or the Vanderbilts, he was a very wealthy and successful capitalist who hung onto his wealth even as he lost the presidency. 

Unfortunately, capitalists, in the U.S. particularly, continue to use the term “middle class” in the sense that Hoover did, to spread a false consciousness among workers that their interests lie with their employers and that government taxation, minorities, undocumented workers and the poor are the cause of their economic problems. 

10. “Take the money and run.” A term that was the title of a Woody Allen movie which connects many dots over the centuries of the capitalist mode of production. In pursuit of greater markets and cheaper natural resources and labor, capitalists have always taken the money and run, explaining that this was the road to progress and prosperity, whether they called it “free trade” as they did in the 19th century, or “globalization” and “outsourcing” as they do today. It is as much a truism as the Communist Manifesto’s call for the workers of the world to unite because they have nothing to lose but their chains. 

And we must guard against the capitalist class natural inclination to take the more than $800 billion in public money from President Obama’s economic rescue plan and run. 

Norman Markowitz is a history professor at Rutgers University.

10 Things to Know About What Happened in Michigan On Thursday « Main Street

10 Things to Know About What Happened in Michigan On Thursday « Main Street:

10 Things to Know About What Happened in Michigan On Thursday

Photo by @PeterKlein77 on Twitter

 1.) The Michigan House and Senate yesterday passed so-called “right to work” bills.“Right to work” laws effectively defund the ability of workers to have a voice at their workplace. In 23 other states, these laws have lowered wages, weakened benefits, raised the poverty rate, and led to increased workplace injuries and deaths. The House passed one such bill and the Senate passed two.

2.) Republican leaders in Michigan were not honest about their intent. The morning began with Governor Rick Snyder reversing his earlier position on the “right to work.” He had previously said that the bill was “not on his agenda,” and that it was a divisive issue – but then yesterday, he suddenly urged the House and Senate to pass the bill and said he would sign it when it reached his desk. Similarly, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville previously opposed “right to work,” but expressed support for it on Thursday morning.

3.)  There were no committee hearings concerning the bills. With an issue this controversial, this is a highly unusual move. Republicans avoided the need for committee hearings by changing the intent of a previously passed bill.

4.) There was no floor debate concerning the bill. Another highly unusual move, considering the high profile “right to work” bill. But Republicans took advantage of their majority by ending debate on the bill before it started.

5.) 3,000 Michiganders showed up to express their opposition. Even though they only got word in the morning, there were 3,000 Michiganders at the Capitol in Lansing by 4:00pm when debate in the House was supposed to start.

6.) The public was not allowed inside the Capitol Building to observe the proceedings. Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger locked down the Capitol, locking approximately 3,000 Michiganders outside. It took a court order requested by Democrats to get the building opened again, but even then the Republican-controlled House did not pause their proceedings.

7.) Police arrested and in some cases used pepper spray on several individuals outside the building. These were Michiganders seeking to exercise their constitutional rights to assemble.

8.) The “right to work” bill is rigged so that it can’t be repealed. Republicans inserted a $1 million appropriation on the bill, which under Michigan law precludes it from being overturned by a citizen referendum. As blogger Chris Savage wrote, “not only was there no opportunity for public input before the bills were voted on, there will be none afterwards, as well.”

9.) Michigan Republicans are not unified around “right to work.” Six Republicans joined Democrats to oppose the bill in the House. It passed 58-52. In the Senate, four Republicans joined all 12 Democrats to oppose “right to work.” Furthermore, polling shows that a large majority of Michigan Republicans support collective bargaining.

10.) Time is short. Democrats put a “procedural speed bump” on moving the Senate bills to the House by one day, and there is a five-day mandatory waiting period before the House can take action.

–

Does all this undemocratic behavior make you mad? Us too. So here are 4 things you can do about this right now:

1.) Please join over 7,500 8,500 advocates for working families by signing and sharing our petition to Gov. Snyder and the Michigan legislature.

2.) If you are in Michigan, you can call your State Senator now using our “click-to-call” system. Even if you don’t know who your Senator is, you can enter your address and get connected to the right person

3.) Join the #SaveMI Thunderclap by connecting your Facebook and Twitter accounts to spread the message about what’s happening in Michigan.

4.) Share, post, tweet, and email your friends and family about what’s going on. Follow@WorkingAmerica and @MIAFLCIO for updates, read Chris Savage’s excellent blog, and tweet with the hashtag #SaveMI.

Joel Klein’s Edu-Cojones | EduShyster

Joel Klein’s Edu-Cojones | EduShyster:

Joel Klein’s Edu-Cojones

by edushyster2012

Today we raise our collective wine boxes to a man who has the biggest, boldest edu-cojones in the business. Reader: meet Joel Klein, former NYC schools Chancellor turned edu-preneur—and most definitely turning a profit. When last we encountered Mr. Klein he’d just finished sounding the alarm bell about the greatest national security threat our country faces: our union-stifled public schools. But there is good news, reader. Joel Klein has now figured out the solution to the national security threat of our time—and it turns out to be the very edu-product that Klein himself is peddling.
You see, Mr. Klein heads up a company called Amplify, a division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., which aims to “disrupt” the K-12 education market by selling a bazillion open source tablet computers to school districts around the country. But how can our cash-strapped schools afford to spend the $17 billion of the $700 billion 

Pass / Fail : California sees fewer teachers as enrollment trends up | 89.3 KPCC

Pass / Fail : California sees fewer teachers as enrollment trends up | 89.3 KPCC:

California sees fewer teachers as enrollment trends up

by Christina Hoag / AP

A student at Christa McAuliffe High School in Challenger probation camp listens to a teacher lecture about math. “The kids are beginning to see that somebody really cares about their environment, and they’re taking better care of it themselves,” said L.A. County Office of Education Superintendent Arturo Delgado. Credit: Tami Abdollah/KPCC
Years of pink slips have taken a toll on California's teachers to be sure, but the dim job market has also had an impact on people wanting to become teachers at a time when the state's population of children reaching school 

Jersey Jazzman: What You Need To Know About the NJ Charter School Study

Jersey Jazzman: What You Need To Know About the NJ Charter School Study:

What You Need To Know About the NJ Charter School Study

by Duke

Cross-Posted from Blue Jersey

Much ink has been spilled in the last two weeks over the release of the NJ charter schools report, published by Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). Below is an index of commentary on the report. I encourage you to read as much as you can, but let me summarize it here:

- The report shows that the "benefits" of charters are almost all concentrated in Newark. Charters in the other major urban areas, in the suburbs, and in rural areas showed little to no gains - or even losses - in student achievement over public schools.

- CREDO only studied about half of the charters in New Jersey. The study did not compare "equivalent" schools; it matched charter students to their "academic peers" in public schools, a method that cannot account for "peer effect": the effect of attending a school with only those students who have similar motivation and family 

Tampa Bay Times: SB 736 Teacher “Evaluations Earn Failing Grade” | Scathing Purple Musings

Tampa Bay Times: SB 736 Teacher “Evaluations Earn Failing Grade” | Scathing Purple Musings:

Tampa Bay Times: SB 736 Teacher “Evaluations Earn Failing Grade”

by Bob Sikes

From the editors of the Tampa Bay Times:

It was obvious to Florida public school teachers six weeks ago that the state’s new system for evaluating them uses imperfect data that makes the evaluations of dubious value. Now a statewide snapshot of results should make that clear to everyone else. The state Board of Education and legislative leaders need to fix the evaluation system that is the foundation for moving to merit-based teacher pay or risk losing more credibility for their entire effort to hold public schools accountable.

I have no idea how the state board, the legislature and Rick Scott for that matter, could lose any more credibility of education. Too bad the Times misses out on the disconnect between these results and the state’s other accountability schemes. And heaven forbid anyone listen to teachers. But not listen - and mock they did. Senate president Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) scoffed at teacher’s warnings last week “I’m shocked, shocked that a union