Congressional delegation goes to bat for Mo. teachers
Nine of Missouri’s members of Congress (including both U.S. senators) have co-signed a letter asking, in effect, what gives with a new interpretation of “teacher” by the IRS and the Social Security Administration.
In a joint statement, the members asserted that “Missouri’s educators may be suffering from a one-two punch” at their retirement accounts.
Here’s the gist:
”Based on a new federal ruling, some public school employees will no longer be able to pay into Missouri’s popular Public School Retirement System in lieu of Social Security – instead they will have to pay into both but receive reduced benefits….”
<span style=”..Employees at Missouri public schools have for decades participated in the Missouri’s Public School Retirement System rather than Social Security, but under the new interpretation of the term ‘teacher’, this will no longer be possible for teacher’s aides and countless other professionals working in public schools.
<span style=”As a result, individuals who have paid into the Public School Retirement System for years will now have to pay into Social Security as well, forcing them to deduct more money from each paycheck while receiving less benefits….”
”In a letter to the heads of the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Services, the members of Congress expressed their concern, asked for the rationale for the changes, and requested more information about how it will be implemented. ”
Those signing the letter:
U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill, and Christopher “Kit” Bond.
U.S. Reps. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, Todd Akin,R-Town and Country, Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, William L. Clay, D-St. Louis, Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, Ike Skelton, D-Lexington, and Emmanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City.
The two nonsigners: U.S. Reps. Roy Blunt, R-Strafford, and Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia.
Sounds like teachers were getting a pretty sweet deal that the common man does not get. At a time when Social Security funds are getting low, every person should accept the duty of paying into it. Just because you pay into a pension or a 401K does not give anyone the right to withhold funds from our retired citizens.
I hope Hulshof NEVER aspires to public office again. For him not to sign this is an insult to Missourians. As for Blunt, he speaks for himself. An overrated and failed leader in Congress who really is clueless seeing the big picture.
Message to Think: Teachers have a sweet deal? The privilege of being underpaid for years of service? They should be rewarded in retirement for what they put up with in the classroom for years.
Think?,
Would you please do “think” about your statement? If they are not paying into the system, they are not taking out.
I’m pretty sure that the new interpretation applied to non-educational staff, but not to the teachers themselves. So it’s pretty misleading to say that the lawmakers were supporting “teachers.”
congrats to U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill,“Kit” Bond, U.S. Reps. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, Todd Akin,R-Town and Country, Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, William L. Clay, D-St. Louis, Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis and Emmanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City.
way to go…
our fine teachers in Missour-ee deserve to be helped.
A big raspberry to the two nonsigners: U.S. Reps. Roy Blunt, R-Strafford, and Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia.
why am i not surprised that these 2 ‘enemies’ of good, hard working, middle class people would dodge this one…
typical.
maybe we should have told them the petition was for out-of-state companies and businesses doing business in Missour-ee tax free…
they would have been the first to sign.
We are talking about supporting teachers! Many of these positions are held by staff members with teaching certificates and provide unique services for our students. The SS Administration has already changed their opinion and decided that counselors are indeed teachers. They will have to now go through and decide if the folks like school psychologists and speech and language pathologists are as well.
If an individual works at a school and chooses to pay into the school retirement system in lieu of social security, they should be allowed to do that. Teachers pay into medicare like any other worker. They don’t have an option to opt out of medicare.
It is funny that the two non-signers are Republicans. I thought Republicans were for less government and fewer entitlements. The two non-signers should have lept at the chance to support Missouri citizens against the over-reaching governmental agencies!
And if ‘Think’ believes it is such a sweet deal to be a teacher, there happen to be plenty of openings if s/he can cut the mustard and qualify for such a position. I’m not sure that ‘Think’ will pass the background check much less qualify for a teaching certificate.
It’s a bit misleading to label Hulshof and Blunt as “non-signers.” If I remember my information correctly, one was unavailable to obtain a signature and the other had a break-down in communication among his office staff as what the letter was about and therefore failed to sign before it was sent.
I am a Vocational teacher and have taught regular classes just as every other teacher in the state of Missouri has. I have been teaching for 27 years and have been contributing to PSRS for 27 years. I am a lifetime educator and have never contributed to social security, therefore I will not draw social security. Now I am told I must pay into social security because I am not a “real” teacher. I will never be able to draw social security when I retire because I won’t have enough quarters in the system. I would like “Think” to tell me what’s fair and just about that.
“Think” obviously has had bad expiriences with schools somewhere along the line. I assure you, there is nothing sweet about this deal. I have been a Speech/Language Pathologist in the schools for 23 years. I have been required to have a caseload of 60 students up until last year when the feds changed max caseload to 50. Still too many. I write individual educational programs on EACH of those students and meet with the parents. I am required to bill Medicaid for those students who qualify. (Why do we bill for a service that is free of charge? That’s another story.) I have paid into PSRS for 23 years. I have enough quarters of SS (before I worked in the schools) to draw, yet I’m not allowed to. So I will pay into the SS system, yet NOT be allowed to draw from it, while my teacher retirement is REDUCED because that money has had to go to SS? They are trying to save SS off of OUR backs. How dare they. It’s legal thievery. I have a teaching certificate. I am an employee of the school. Why am I not considered a “teacher”. It is manipulation and thievery. It is morally wrong. If they are hell bent to do this, let it start with the new generation of “teachers”. Don’t STEAL our retirement. It’s another step toward socialism. Do not be complacent America. It will sneak up on you like a theif in the night. SPEAK UP!
Here are some of the positions that will no longer be considered “teachers”:
•Special Education Teachers
•Literacy Specialists/Teacher Leader
•Reading Recovery Teachers/Teacher Leader
•ESOL Teachers
•Gifted Education Teachers
•Early Childhood Teachers
•Early Childhood Special Education Teachers
•Kindergarten teachers
•School Psychologists
•ESCs
•Career Education (Business, IT, Marketing, FACS, Cadet Teaching)
•Speech-Language Pathologists/Audiologists
•Diagnostic Team
•Educational Technology Specialist
•ISAP/Study Hall
•Vision & Orientation/Mobility
•Parent Educators
•Drivers Education
•Coaches
•Extra-Duty Positions
•Band Directors
•Paraprofessionals and Aides
•Substitute Teachers who are retired teachers
•Activities Directors
•Directors
•Coordinators
•Department Chairs
•Dean/Administrative Interns
•Content Leaders
•Writing Lab teachers
Here is the effect it will have:
Educators will be leaving public education to enter the private sector in droves, and districts will not be able to fill these positions since no one in their right mind wants to pay more to get less than the teacher across the hall. Children with special needs will have no special education teachers and will fall through the cracks (no district in the state will meet AYP under NCLB if this happens). Students needing speech services will not have the benefit of a speech/language pathologist to assist them. There will be no one to diagnose educational, emotional, or behavioral problems without school psychologists or diagnostic teams. Elective courses such as mine, where students who struggle with core subjects often excel, will be eliminated. Children will not have early childhood services or even a kindergarten teacher. Students who need extra help in the areas of reading and literacy will not be serviced, nor will those who are gifted be enriched. Sports and other extracurricular activities (drama, marching band, Student Council, etc.) will be cut due to the lack of coaches and sponsors.