Illinois has a massive pension problem. A new report maintains that the biggest contributor to the shortage isn’t that state taxpayers have underpaid public retirements, but politicians over-promised.
In the last three decades, the five state-offered public pension systems’ benefits have increased by 1,000 percent. That’s eight times more than the income growth of the Illinoisans who are expected to pay for it. The report was released Tuesday by financial watchdog Wirepoints.
President Ted Dabrowski said politicians are wrongly placing the blame on taxpayers for not paying enough.
“Every time you hear the word ‘underfunding,’ there's always the implication that taxpayers didn’t do their part and that’s the problem,” Dabrowski said.
More HERE
I recently finished a four year term on my local elementary school board. It was the worst four years on any board, public or private. Constantly I fought against ridiculous salaries for “administrative” and teacher salaries. The district was constantly paying for pizza parties, euphemism for a “staff day.”
Academic staff who promised to retire within two years were voted additional pension credit (not not with my vote). Attendance at “professional conventions” (all expenses paid) were financed by the district and staff members came back telling one and all what fantastic “Happy Hours” occurred.
For the most part the teaching staff were all convinced that the problems with “education,” as well as with the world, were cause by old white men! OUT LOUD! The mouthier ones ceased and desisted when I threatened to file an ethics violation and a complaint with the Illinois Department of Aging. Silence from them! These Socratic sages knew when to shut their flappers…to protect their employment “rights.”
Public education is a racket, run by spineless board members who are mere dupes manipulated by “EdDs in School Administraion.” In larger systems like Chicago prospective teachers move to other occupations leaving left-wing babyfaces in control.
Ever been to a teachers convention?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iqwx9i704g
As a former public school teacher (many decades ago) I can tell you that there is a lot of truth in what you say.
Public schools are no longer what they were in far too many systems.
I must say, however, that I live in West Central Illinois where there are many small public schools. I am an aware person and these type of problems, at least for the most part, do not exist.
As soon as you get to the metro areas it is a totally different education world of which that I am glad I am not was never a part.
I agree that schools in the more rural and bucolic parts of Illinois are not necessarily similar to Chicago and Crook County
school systems.
While I was active in the Illinois
Council of Teachers of Mathematics
I chaired various meetings,
presentation, etc. One of the
participants told of his success
in teaching intro to calculus to
his class of FIVE STUDENTS! He
proudly articulated that all
the students got A’s…he gave
them that grade on the first day
of class “So they would not be
pressured and thus worried
about grades rather than content.”
What a stupid man!
This gut was an idiot. Sure was not that way in my olde day. Is this representative of what is going on today or an exception? There have always been fools in all walks of life- even in the olde days.