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2 teachers union lobbyists teach for a day to qualify for hefty pensions

j-mac

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SPRINGFIELD — — Two lobbyists with no prior teaching experience were allowed to count their years as union employees toward a state teacher pension once they served a single day of subbing in 2007, a Tribune/WGN-TV investigation has found.Steven Preckwinkle, the political director for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and fellow union lobbyist David Piccioli were the only people who took advantage of a small window opened by lawmakers a few months earlier.


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The legislation enabled union officials to get into the state teachers pension fund and count their previous years as union employees after quickly obtaining teaching certificates and working in a classroom. They just had to do it before the bill was signed into law.
Preckwinkle's one day of subbing qualified him to become a participant in the state teachers pension fund, allowing him to pick up 16 years of previous union work and nearly five more years since he joined. He's 59, and at age 60 he'll be eligible for a state pension based on the four-highest consecutive years of his last 10 years of work.

His paycheck fluctuates as a union lobbyist, but pension records show his earnings in the last school year were at least $245,000. Based on his salary history so far, he could earn a pension of about $108,000 a year, more than double what the average teacher receives.

Illinois pension system: 2 teachers union lobbyists used loophole for fat pensions - Chicago Tribune

It's all about the kids though....Right?


j-mac
 
The Chicago way.
 
I'm just trying to imagine what THOSE classes must be like....anyone ever see "Thank You For Smoking"? I'm picturing that...
 
I'm just trying to imagine what THOSE classes must be like....anyone ever see "Thank You For Smoking"? I'm picturing that...

My guess was it was a lecture on the evil greediness of "the man".
 
My guess was it was a lecture on the evil greediness of "the man".


:lamo Yeah, or a prep class on taking to the streets in support of OWS...:lamo

parents, be warned these are who are teaching our kids.

j-mac
 
:lamo Yeah, or a prep class on taking to the streets in support of OWS...:lamo

parents, be warned these are who are teaching our kids.

j-mac

You can always homeschool.
 
You can always homeschool.

Yep, or support more charter schools. I prefer the latter. I am a believer that the socialization that children receive through their school years is important.

j-mac
 
Yep, or support more charter schools. I prefer the latter. I am a believer that the socialization that children receive through their school years is important.

j-mac

Charter schools can be relatively ok depending on the exact school in question. I've seen decent ones and terrible ones.
 
Charter schools can be relatively ok depending on the exact school in question. I've seen decent ones and terrible ones.

speaking in general the graduation, and move on to higher education levels when compared public schools, and charter schools, charters seem to blow away public schools....Am I wrong on this?

j-mac
 
speaking in general the graduation, and move on to higher education levels when compared public schools, and charter schools, charters seem to blow away public schools....Am I wrong on this?

j-mac

I think on the whole they're mostly the same in terms of "performance". I don't know too much as I'm not sure of the stats, but I found this on Wikipedia, so take it for what it is.

Charter School.jpg
 
I think on the whole they're mostly the same in terms of "performance". I don't know too much as I'm not sure of the stats, but I found this on Wikipedia, so take it for what it is.

View attachment 67117311

My only objection with Wiki on subjects like this are that anyone can alter the information, which leaves open to agenda what is on there.

But anecdotally I do know that here in SC, a charter close to the public school with the same demographic boasts a 90% grad rate, and a 75% move on to higher ed, while the public HS in proximity has a 47% grad rate, with only 30% moving on to higher ed.

Seems on its face when teachers are held to preform rather than relying on tenure to be employed, they teach better.

j-mac
 
And just how does a really extreme, rare and terribly out of the ordinary bad example from two people say anything that is relevant to classroom teachers and the unions who represent them around the nation?
 
And just how does a really extreme, rare and terribly out of the ordinary bad example from two people say anything that is relevant to classroom teachers and the unions who represent them around the nation?
You do know the right likes to generalize when it serves their purpose.
 
My only objection with Wiki on subjects like this are that anyone can alter the information, which leaves open to agenda what is on there.

But anecdotally I do know that here in SC, a charter close to the public school with the same demographic boasts a 90% grad rate, and a 75% move on to higher ed, while the public HS in proximity has a 47% grad rate, with only 30% moving on to higher ed.

Seems on its face when teachers are held to preform rather than relying on tenure to be employed, they teach better.

j-mac
Or it could be that the parents who put their kids in charter schools are those that put a higher value on education and are more involved in their childerns education
 
And just how does a really extreme, rare and terribly out of the ordinary bad example from two people say anything that is relevant to classroom teachers and the unions who represent them around the nation?

the union is supporting this....

classroom teachers, as far as i know, probably aren't... they have to actually put in the work to get their pensions and some are probably pretty ticked that these corrupt asshats are gaming the system.

I don't hold this against the teachers... but i'm not thrilled the unions supports this... not thrilled at all.
not thrilled with Chicago's corrupt government either... they passed the legislation that made it possible for union lobbyists to pull this shenanigan.

hmm.. union lobbyists.. favorable legislation...I wonder how the OWS would feel about this?
 
My only objection with Wiki on subjects like this are that anyone can alter the information, which leaves open to agenda what is on there.

But anecdotally I do know that here in SC, a charter close to the public school with the same demographic boasts a 90% grad rate, and a 75% move on to higher ed, while the public HS in proximity has a 47% grad rate, with only 30% moving on to higher ed.

Seems on its face when teachers are held to preform rather than relying on tenure to be employed, they teach better.

j-mac

You can find a lot on it if you look. I've posted a lot myself showing they are no better overall, and considerably worse in some areas. And yes, some are better ins some areas. But remeber, they can be selective, like a private school, so they should be much better. They're not.
 
the union is supporting this....

Actually the article indicates that the actions were legal and the union is against anything like this happening again

A spokesman for the Illinois Federation of Teachers emphasized that the lobbyists' actions were legal and that they made "individual decisions."

Even so, union President Dan Montgomery said the deal Preckwinkle and Piccioli landed "should never be allowed again." But the union, which provides its employees with a private 401(k)-type plan, is standing by the lobbyists' right to have access to the public pension.

"They entered TRS under the law and are participating members of TRS. As a TRS employer, the IFT is required to make the payments to TRS," the union said in a statement.

The teachers union DOES NOT write the laws of the State of Illinois.
The teachers union DOES NOT determine what is legal and what is illegal.
The teachers union DOES NOT determine who is eligible and who is not eligible for this pension.
 
no better way to argue against generalizing than to throw out a generalization of your own eh?

too funny. :lamo

So you generalizing about people who generalize.


In general we are all guilty.
 
Actually the article indicates that the actions were legal and the union is against anything like this happening again



The teachers union DOES NOT write the laws of the State of Illinois.
The teachers union DOES NOT determine what is legal and what is illegal.
The teachers union DOES NOT determine who is eligible and who is not eligible for this pension.

I missed where the union said is shouldn't happen again... so I retract my criticism of them on this issue.

i'd rather bash the Illinois government anyways:lol:
 
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