College students don't typically think about retirement.  Unless you're a returning college student, or are trying your hand at a second career, you probably don't worry about life after teaching.  And who can blame you?  With your attention clearly focused on the road ahead - credential requirements, the CSET, paying for tuition and books - don't we all have enough to worry about?  The Governor hopes so.  In fact, he's counting on it.

 

He hopes your lives are so busy that you won't pay much attention to his political agendas or to his vision for the future of public education. And he really hopes you didn't hear about that promise he has broken to the teachers, and the students, of this state. 

 

He doesn't want you to get involved. Or maybe he just underestimates your passion for this profession.

 

While most of us were either enjoying the end of our well-deserved winter break, or getting into the swing of a new school term, Governor Schwarzenegger announced his intentions to implement a merit based pay system for teachers, a proposal he knows other states have consistently defeated. Leaders in CTA believe this is really a smokescreen, designed to draw the attention of education advocates away from his proposed budget - and away from his broken promise.  The Governor made a promise that he would replace $2 billion in education funding that he cut last year to balance the budget. (California schools have suffered more than $9.8 billion in cuts over the last 4 years).  Now he says students will have to live without it.  Arnold lied.  To you.  To me.  To our students.

 

He wants to change the way we - teachers and nurses and police officers and other public employees - live during our retirement. Like President Bush and his attempt to privatize social security, the Governor wants to take your retirement dollars out of the experts' hands and put them into yours to manage, for better or worse. Current teacher retirees get a set benefit amount every month, which increases slightly over time, and they will receive it for life. Under his new plan, all public employees hired after July 1, 2007 (THAT'S US) will not. The state will also stop contributing money to retirement plans, for current as well as future teachers, and your school district will have to make up the difference - the same districts that are having budget crises and closing schools. All the way around - this change to our retirement is a risk we cannot afford to take.

 

So, what can you do about it? FIRST, GET INVOLVED.  It's time to start emailing and calling and writing letters to your state representatives! (To find out whom your representatives are and how to contact them, go to www.cta.org, and follow the "Politics and Legislation" link to "Contact Your Lawmakers") Don't wait - do it now! They represent you - and you need to tell them how to vote. Tell them you won't let the Governor mess with your retirement. Let them know you won't stand for broken promises!! SECOND, SPREAD THE WORD. If the Governor calls a special election this year, we need to start informing parents and colleagues today! It's time for your voice to be heard. It's time to act!