Dear Ken,
On Wednesday over 30 members of the Park Ridge Education Association will board buses, along with over 60 more members of Region 36. We’re heading for Springfield. We expect thousands more to greet us when we arrive in the state capital.
Why are we going?
We oppose any income tax increase that is not tied to reducing the reliance on local property taxes to fund Illinois schools. This is a social justice issue that we care deeply about. It connects our union to struggling parents and children throughout the state.
We oppose any increase in the contribution that teachers presently make to the Teacher Retirement System.
We insist that the state meet its teacher pension obligations.
We oppose any division of the TRS into two systems. New teachers deserve the same benefits and service expectations that present teachers enjoy.
We oppose any change in our retirement plan that moves us from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system.
We appreciate the role that our IEA’s leadership has played in support of these issues.
But I have a concern.
I know how Springfield works. The last-minute power grab of our TRS by the state’s political leadership is a red flag. We had no time to mobilize against the power grab. It was a done deal before we had time to push the send button on our e-mails.
We are concerned that this may happen again when the clock winds down on this legislative session and there are pressures to cut deals.
Our Association’s leaders and lobbyists must stand firm.
Any legislator or union leader who does not stand firm fighting for equality in the way the state funds our schools and on the defense of our teacher pensions should know that our membership will hold them accountable.
Fred Klonsky
PREA President
Fred Klonsky 
“Any legislator or union leader who does not stand firm fighting for equality in the way the state funds our schools and on the defense of our teacher pensions should know that our membership will hold them accountable.”
Did IEA leadership say or do something that didn’t show their firmness on the position of school funding and/or our pensions?
First, there is a history here. After Wednesday, what is the plan? Other than the usual exhortations to keep fired up, how does the state leadership plan to mobilize the membership to protect our pension and pursue funding justice? No word.
Second. What happens if there is a last minute deal that compromises on our concerns to a degree that it is a serious blow to our teachers, schools and kids? After all, it was just such a last minute deal that allowed the governor to take control of our pension system just last month. How did the IEA respond? What were the consequences? Nothing.
Third. How do we expect the parents and minority communities in places like Harvey, Markham, Robbins and downstate to support teachers on the pension issue if the IEA doesn’t support them on the issue of justice in school funding? If we support the governor’s income tax increase (which it appears the IEA is willing to do) without linking it to local tax fairness and state school funding, than why should they care about our pensions?
Last. If a legislator doesn’t support us on these crucial issues, what are the consequences. Mark Kirk is the most anti-union congressman in the state of Illinois. The IEA endorses him hear after year. What message does that send?
All these are questions. I’m anxious to hear the answers.