Scott Reeder has made a career out of bashing teacher unions. So, it was no surprise to find this piece of pseudo-journalism in something called Cornerstone Media – Lincoln Trails Publishing.
Of course, Reeder is no journalist. He is a horse shit salesman for the right-wing stink tank, the Illinois Policy Institute.
Reeder has several arguments going in this article.
One is that there is somehow something wrong with taxpayers, in the form of the state, paying into the retirement systems of those who work for the state.
Illinois taxpayers contributed three times as much money to the Teachers’ Retirement System, or TRS, last year than did participating teachers, even as the makeup of the board tasked with overseeing the state’s largest pension fund tilted more heavily in favor of teacher union representation.
Scott. Here’s news that will shock you: When I was a teacher, taxpayers through the school district contributed 100% of what I earned. Not even most. All of it.
That’s because I worked for them.
Then Reeder wants you to be suspect that teachers would sit on the board of trustees that run the pension system. And that some of those teachers are also members of the largest teachers union in the state.
If it weren’t for the right of teachers and retirees to elect members to the TRS board of trustees, it would be run by political appointments like Blago’s Rezko, Cellini and Rosenberg.
Reeder cites criticisms by former TRS Executive Director Jon Bauman.
So I asked Bauman, “Reeder makes you sound pretty anti-union. Was that your intent?”
Absolutely not. I was reluctant to talk to him because it sounded like he already had his mind made up about the story, but he had spoken well of me in the past so I felt like I owed him one.
His premise was that unions, especially IEA, hold too much power in TRS. I don’t think this article made that case.
The comments of mine in quotes appear to be correct.
I don’t know where he came up with this stuff about AFSCME and the law firm – we did hire one, but only for the purpose of making sure that management did not violate any labor laws as AFSCME pursued representation.
Reeder also omitted that I was terminated by legislation. People have speculated that Ken Swanson may have asked Quinn to make this happen. I have no way of knowing to this day. Swanson and I were not close, though I enjoyed good relationships with Anne Davis and Cinda. I also don’t see what he was getting at with the bit about “fact-checking.” We did that for Cinda and other trustees routinely – seems to me it’s both a good idea and part of staff’s job.
In my 31 years in State Government, across three agencies, I worked with almost all the unions representing State employees, including all the trades, Teamsters, and AFSCME. I never had a grievance filed against me personally and we had good labor relations in all my areas. I am not anti-union.
It’s no secret that some of us have have concerns about IEA President Cinda Klickna wearing two hats as IEA President and member of the TRS board of trustees. The responsibilities and interests of those two jobs often diverge in ways that are different than for the other teacher reps.
But Reeder is doing a hack piece here.
He misrepresents both the nature of the retirement system and the role of those who make sure TRS is run honestly and gets a good return on investments for its members.
Which it is and does.
Reeder on the other hand is just up to no good.
Fred Klonsky 
Fred, thanks again for bringing this to my attention and for sharing my comments with your readers. I would be remiss if I didn’t also point out that the State contribution to our pension system wouldn’t be “three times as high” as member contributions had the State properly funded the TRS.
The ONLY teacher pension contributions paid by “taxpayers” are the interest payments on the debt created by the state when it failed to pay benefits earned and paid for by teachers.
When I work and earn something it is mine, not my employer’s. Reeder starts from a false premise. Teachers earn and pay for their own pensions with the work they do. It is not a taxpayer “gift”. It is an earned benefit.
Next Reeder should argue that license plates for new luxury cars should be $1000.00 per year because they are so much nicer than the average “taxpayer’s”car. Jealousy plays well with the uninformed.
After thirty five years of teaching and raising my own children, I learned one lesson myself: never argue with a child or an idiot. Which one is Reeder?
There is nothing wrong with a teacher/union official being on the board. I always heard one TRS board member was to be a representative of the teachers. This was to be able to represent the interest and input of the teachers.
This keeps the other members to think twice before doing any type of wrongdoing that would be possible if no teacher “watchdog” was there.
“Of course, Reeder is no journalist. He is a horse shit salesman for the right-wing stink tank, the Illinois Policy Institute.” Great writing!