IEA leadership stands by their silence in the face of membership outrage.

Late this afternoon the IEA leadership posted the following on Charlie McBarron’s website:

IEA statement on controversy over TRS director’s comments

October 11, 2012 By IEA Communications

Statement from the Illinois Education Association October 11, 2012

Members and leaders of the Illinois Education Association were disappointed and angered by the comments executive director Ingram made to Crain’s Chicago Business regarding TRS pensions in an interview published last week.

There was no advance notice that Mr. Ingram had agreed to the interview and no inkling of what Ingram had said until the article was published.

IEA and the other members of the Illinois labor coalition oppose all current proposals for reducing the COLAs for any TRS participant. Coalition members also agree that there should be no changes made to the pensions of those who are already retired.

When the Crain’s interview was published, IEA President Cinda Klickna and Executive Director Audrey Soglin immediately contacted Mr. Ingram and asked him to write an explanation of his remarks and the context in which the remarks were made. He also was asked to explain the intentions behind the comments. Mr. Ingram wrote his explanation and it was published on the IEA website over the weekend.

Regardless of Mr. Ingram’s intentions, his comments have created another storm of controversy.

IEA members are understandably frustrated by this situation. This is a TRS personnel issue, which will be addressed through the established channels within the TRS board.

I can only be impressed at the continued refusal of the leadership of the largest teachers’ organization in the state to make public comment on this.

It is a personnel issue for TRS, not for the IEA.

For the members of the IEA, it is an issue of anger and fear that the Executive Director of their retirement system has called for a cut in benefits as a solution to the perceived crisis in TRS underfunding.

If the leadership is in agreement with the leadership of the other state-wide teachers union which has already called for Ingram’s resignation, they should stand up and say so. If they don’t agree, they should explain to the membership as to why they don’t.

Silence is not an option.