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State teachers union pitches tent with Occupy activists
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 10/13/11

Posted on 10/13/2011 6:55:18 PM PDT by artichokegrower

The California Teachers Association jumped on the Occupy Wall Street bandwagon Thursday, throwing the weight of 325,000 state teachers behind the movement for “tax fairness and against corporate greed.”

“Educators are fed up with watching our students and schools go without — while banks are being bailed out and the middle class and poor are being shut out,” said CTA President Dean Vogel, in a statement. “It’s time to put Main Street before Wall Street, and for corporations to pay their fair share of taxes.”

(Excerpt) Read more at blog.sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: communism; economy; socialism; teachers
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California teachers. Your pension fund CalSTRs is heavily invested in Wall Street. It is what allows you to retire when you are 50. When Wall Street does well your pension fund does well. When Wall Street suffers your pension fund suffers. Oh wait you just transfer the pain to the California taxpayer. Never mind.

CalSTRS reported ready to seek more state funding Share By Dale Kasler

By Dale Kasler The Sacramento Bee

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 For more than two years, CalSTRS has been talking about asking state lawmakers for more money to plug its funding gap.

Now the teachers' pension fund believes the Legislature is ready to listen.

Pension fund Chief Executive Jack Ehnes said last week he wants Gov. Jerry Brown to include additional CalSTRS funding in a long-awaited pension reform proposal he's expected to release in the coming weeks.

"We think we're at the right moment where it's time to move on the funding strategy politically," Ehnes said at a CalSTRS board meeting in Huntington Beach, according to Bloomberg news.

Ehnes' comments represent a subtle shift in the California State Teachers' Retirement System's efforts to tackle an estimated $56 billion long-term funding shortfall.

In a time of tight budgets and waning sympathy for public employees, CalSTRS has resisted proposing actual legislation to raise contribution rates from employers. Instead, it's spent the past two and a half years lobbying lawmakers, the Governor's Office and school districts.

CalSTRS thinks its education campaign is paying off – and lawmakers might be amenable to increasing contributions for teachers' pensions.

"This may be the time that this issue gets resolved," said Deputy CEO Ed Derman in an interview Monday. Lawmakers "recognize the problem," he added.

Derman noted that Brown urged the Legislature last spring to deal with CalSTRS' funding issues, although he didn't lay out a specific plan. It's unclear whether Brown will include a funding plan for CalSTRS in his pending pension reform proposal. A spokesman for the governor declined to comment.

CalSTRS gets around $6 billion a year combined from the state, school districts and teachers. Unlike CalPERS, the teachers' pension fund can't raise employer contribution rates without legislative approval.

Many of CalSTRS' financial troubles stem from the financial crash of 2008. In August, State Auditor Elaine Howle added CalSTRS to her list of "high-risk" issues confronting the state.

1 posted on 10/13/2011 6:55:23 PM PDT by artichokegrower
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To: artichokegrower

“go without” Good Lord, what a bunch of liars. These jackasses are money eaters supreme . . . and all they turn out is crap.


2 posted on 10/13/2011 7:02:01 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat
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To: artichokegrower

More union extortion from the liberal academia capital of the Left Coast. These filthy thugs are at it again — as if they ever quit.

And some ignorant citizens of California think that the state has always been at the bottom of the academic ladder for ever — not so. Thirty plus years ago it was at the top. Unions were reasonalble, it was not a liberal state, the legislature was also conservative — and this was the model state of the nation.

Now look at what the libs have done to it and now the “friends of California government” are hanging out with the anti-American mobs. Is it not a pretty site — well, the liberal citizens of California (those that are libs) are getting exactly what they voted for in the last election — a destroyed state and bands of robbers, thieves, crooks, losers, you name it. Everything but what made California once great.

Ain’t it a pretty site ????


3 posted on 10/13/2011 7:03:56 PM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: EagleUSA
Now look at what the libs have done to it and now the “friends of California government”
are hanging out with the anti-American mobs. Is it not a pretty site...

--------------------------

I AGREE WITH THAT

Just your average street rabble.

Rabl-2

4 posted on 10/13/2011 7:10:32 PM PDT by BobP (The piss-stream media - Never to be watched again in my house)
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To: artichokegrower

The eggheads should be more concerned with businesses leaving California. That’s where the revenue comes from.


5 posted on 10/13/2011 7:17:29 PM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: EagleUSA

They belong there, See first hand what their years of collective efforts have produced.
Build a fence arround them all, sell tickets to parents to see what will happen to their kids if they are left with this bunch.
They will produce nothing, always be asking for more hand outs and oh yea, smell.


6 posted on 10/13/2011 7:20:53 PM PDT by reefdiver ("Let His day's be few And another takes His office")
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To: artichokegrower

And in this loony left coast, the Sacramento Bee delivered an insert in today’s paper titled “A Guide to Local Services: Medical Cannbis”.

But then, CA is also the state where illegals march in open view of the feds (immigration policy: see no illegal, hear no illegal, speak that no one is illegal) and demand to be legalized.


7 posted on 10/13/2011 7:30:10 PM PDT by srajan
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To: artichokegrower

If the teachers are busy being “occupiers” - then who’s teaching the kids?


8 posted on 10/13/2011 7:56:10 PM PDT by alicewonders
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To: artichokegrower

It isn’t time for a school break.

Shouldn’t they be in the classroom teaching??

(of course, the kids in California would probably be better off if their teachers were out “occupying” whatever)


9 posted on 10/13/2011 7:59:34 PM PDT by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: A_Former_Democrat

You can always count on the California Teachers Unions to win all the stupid contests. Must be their arrogance, greed and selfishness that drives them to victory every time.


10 posted on 10/13/2011 8:07:22 PM PDT by RetiredTexasVet (There's a pill for just about everything ... except stupid!)
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To: KosmicKitty

I would think that California teachers probably have accrued professional development days/weeks that they can use for protesting. Those who have used it all up can use the old sick leave fallback.


11 posted on 10/13/2011 8:10:00 PM PDT by RetiredTexasVet (There's a pill for just about everything ... except stupid!)
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To: artichokegrower

Are these the same teachers that are pitching tents for their students?


12 posted on 10/13/2011 8:23:41 PM PDT by Trillian
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To: artichokegrower

I’m a “forced” member of CTA, and I DO NOT SUPPORT their liberal positions. I’m forced to join this union because, if I don’t, they will take the money from my paycheck anyway (closed shop). These cretins do not represent me and my views. They do not have the first clue about the economy, other than what their liberal politician masters tell them.


13 posted on 10/13/2011 8:30:39 PM PDT by SoldierDad (Proud dad of an Army Soldier currently deployed in the Valley of Death, Afghanistan)
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To: A_Former_Democrat

I’m tired of teachers making more in take-home income and benefits and only working a 10 month or less work/year while I have to exist on 75% pay because there isn’t enough to pay me full time. I have to pay over 50%-75% of my health insurance, over $10,000 a year, haven’t had a real vacation in 15 years, no real raise in over 3 years, and only get partial holiday pay, among other things.

I have to work two parttime jobs to keep our heads above water, with a disabled wife, I’m partially disabled according to the state, have a car with 198,000 miles on it, and am paying a mortgage and second mortgage.

Sorry, teachers. I respect your job but you’re too greedy and your teachers unions are nothing but a bunch of greedy leftists.

Get back in the school room and teach. That is your job, not marching with a bunch of know-nothing kids you once taught nothing.

You have a whole new generation of young children whose minds you can mess up with your leftist ideology, faux science re global warming, your don’t salute the American flag because it might offense some jihadist camel-screwer somewhere, and your “Eat your Greens” because it will save the planet and bring back the dinosaurs.

To the minority of teachers who really care about teaching our children, thanks. It is appreciated. All you need now to get back into reality is an inquisition of the NEA and its affiliates, the leftist dominated school boards, and most of your politicians, esp. those in California.

A “purge” will no longer cure what ails your profession.

PS: I was married to a good teacher and my present wife of 38 years is now teaching my granddaughter how to play the piano, how to read (she’s been reading and speaking at a 2nd-3rd grade level since she was in Kindergarten), and speaks three languages (English, German and Hebrew). She can also name and describe 30 species of dinosaurs, many species of spiders, snakes, sharks, fossils (found some) and all of the types of cloud formations.

Books, lots of books, plus a loving mother, grandmother and grandfather, who spend time with her instead of watching TV or playing video games (OK, we watch Spongebob Square Pants and the Three Stooges, together).

A child’s mind is a terrible thing to waste, and the NEA and teachers unions are doing their best to waste it.

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!


14 posted on 10/13/2011 8:52:55 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: A_Former_Democrat

“go without” Good Lord, what a bunch of liars. These jackasses are money eaters supreme . . . and all they turn out is crap.”

Excuse me, but wasn’t it Taxifornia that recently built a $578,000,000 school? Schools are short a lot of things. Mondy isn’t one of them.


15 posted on 10/13/2011 8:54:39 PM PDT by animal172 (Please Lord. Come get the liberals.)
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To: SoldierDad

You know, the problem is not with the teachers. Its the union and the top heavy administators. The money that each student represents is ate up by “administrative costs”(administrators) so that there is no money so you can get the books and supplies you need to properly teach these kids. And the regulations that come with the federal money which makes up a small percentage of the over all budget keeps you from doing your job as well.

This is a tough environment to work in, my hats off to you.


16 posted on 10/13/2011 9:36:27 PM PDT by coincheck (Time is Short, Salvation is for Today)
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To: animal172
Excuse me, but wasn’t it Taxifornia that recently built a $578,000,000 school? Schools are short a lot of things. Money isn’t one of them.

Yep

LA Opens Costliest School – $578,000,000

17 posted on 10/13/2011 10:14:30 PM PDT by BBell
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To: artichokegrower

This whole Occupy BS is being run from DNC Headquarters with the help of their Union pals.


18 posted on 10/13/2011 10:15:45 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: artichokegrower

“Educators are fed up with watching our students and schools go without

Ron Paul want to audit the Fed.

I have long wished to see an audit of what schools in CA. receive in money.
Between State and Fed. money they also get funds from the State Lottery.
I’d be willing to get the average person would be stunned to discover what the schools truly rake in.


19 posted on 10/14/2011 1:56:00 AM PDT by freds6girlies (many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Mt. 19:30. R.I.P. G & J)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper; SoldierDad
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!

All it takes to destroy them is to prohibit withholding of union dues from workers paychecks by any private business, state, local or federal government.

I cant believe this hasn't come up as a campaign issue, you would think one of the idiots running for the GOP nomination would promise to do this.

20 posted on 10/14/2011 2:11:47 AM PDT by Rome2000 (OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST CRYPTO-MUSLIM)
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