A Retiree Comments on the Election

It is outrageous that we even vote in elections. I collect my tier 1 pension, after working in a system that, though not perfect, was at least humane. I worked under contracts that reduced class size, increased my preps from 1 in 1963 to 5 later in my career. I was able to respond to letters put in my file. in the last few years, i was out of the lunchroom and didn't do potty patrol. I didn't live under the constant threat of a u rating or the rubber room. in the last years of my career, there were many deficiencies, of course. but I did benefit over the years.

Now, I should have the right to vote for a leader that has sold out so many that continue to work under these contracts and those who will join the ranks? And those votes that come in barrels from florida - they wouldn't recognize a school if they walked into it today. The very contracts that we benefited from, struck for, have been demolished.

If I ran the zoo, I would go even further - any one sitting in a union office and working should not vote. They don't get letters in their files, do lunchroom or potty duty, have their good sense about how to teach threatened, forced to do test prep for hours on end smashing into their educational bones, etc. they are getting double pensions and higher salaries - a 4% of their salaries is a lot more than that of a beginning teacher.