Again, looking through articles and trying to find my way into the facts, I found myself staring at an article from npr.org titled, "Shortfall Threatens Illinois Pension System". The author, David Schaper, took the approach I was looking for: really discovering what caused this mass pension crisis and what position the state is now in. "According to the Pew Center on the States, Illinois is worst in the nation when it comesto setting aside enough money for its pensions". Basically, Illinois is not meeting the standards already set for paying into pension funds and not overspending money that the state may not actually have. However, through a study in 2008 on states' pension funds, Illinois set aside just 54% of the money that's been promised to workers and retirees. Those kinds of shortcomings and lack of money has now set Illinois back $77.8 billion dollars that the state now owes towards pensions and unpaid pensions. Lawrence Msall, president of The Civic Federation, a Chicago-based group that keeps tabs on state and local government finances stated that, "...the pension underfunding has grown dramatically by almost 300 to 400 percent over the last decade, because the state has used gimmicks...it has ignored its pension obligations, it has borrowed or had partial pension holidays, and it has just flat out not made the adequate contributions to the pensions". These kinds of blatant ignorances for a state is simply appauling and not to mention widely unacceptable. Illinois has the worst track record in terms of staying on top of pension payments and meeting requirements, in many ways "shooting themselves in the foot" for future years. They are currently working on finding ways to meet the pension payments they owe, which at this point are simply growing each year. I guess the state will just have to sit back and see how the local government is going to handle this disaster.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Illinois Pension Crisis
One essential aspect of my project was to find out what the other side was saying; what those legislators hiding in the capitol buildinghad been releasing to newspapers about the situation and the state of, well, the state. I decided that researching what the press was saying was important because that was half of the driving force behind the entire pension explosion: to a certain extent, it was a he-said-she-said game. The teachers were crying that it was the state's fault and the state was pointing their fingers at the teachers and somehow through all of the yelling, there was no way to truly understand what the truth was. I went on WSJ.com, found the US tab and began looking through the impressive collection of Illinois pension articles when I came across one article titled, "Illinois Pension Crisis Eludes Easy Solutions", written by Michael Corkery. In the article, it basically summarized the entire pension problem, but its focus seemed to zero-in on what he possible solutions were to the problem aswell as what lawmakers were hoping the revisions would be. "The lawmakers are also entertaining the politicallydifficult idea of applying broader pension changes made this year for newly hired employees to current workers". This could mean that new employees would be in a position of not recieving their pensions as early as others, it could mean having to pay more into the pension fund, some new teachers may not recieve their pensions at all, and even still, many districts may have other money taken out of school budgets to make up for the state's mistakes. These potential revisions also put the future of teachers at risk because without the availability to a pension and knowing that teachers do not have access to social security because of the pension program, many students may no longer entertain the idea of becoming a teacher due to insufficient benefits. However, the problem still remains...Illinois has $82 billion unfunded pensions liability that is projected to grow to $139.8 billion in 2030. So the question is, What is the fate of the pensions?
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Illinois Pension Crisis and SB7
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Illinois Pension Crisis
One of my major sources for this project is the blog by Fred Klonsky at http://preaprez.wordpress.com/page/2/. Fred is my Uncle Mike's brother and has not only been an educator for many years, but has also made it his mission to bring light to the current issue about pension in Illinois. Fred's posts have helped me because it allows me to grasp an inside look at a teacher's perspective about the issue. One of his most recent posts included details about the trip to Springfield that many teachers made in order to make a case to legislators about their proposed solutions to the pension issues. Some of Illinois most recent ideas have included raising the age that pensions can be recieved, lowering the actual amount of money that will be included in any given pension, potentially raising taxes and ultimately having citizens pay for their own pensions, and some legislators have even considered canceling pensions all together until Illinois can gain back the money that they seemingly do not have. As one may have assumed, none of these options have been sitting well with teachers. Many critics of the situation have found that blaming the teachers is the way to go and others have gone as far as to say that teachers are not as important as CEOs or leaders of Fortune 500 companies and shouldn't even be paid as much as they are currently being paid. These kinds of assumptions and closed-minded comments are what is majorly setting back the ability for us to move forward with the issue and continue finding answers. The trip to Springfield was ultimatelty a successful one and the mass group of teachers that drove down made a statement for those all around the state who are at risk of being shoved to the side at the end of the situation.
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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Illinois Pension Crisis
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
What's Going on in the World?
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Mock Trial Recap
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State of the Union Address
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011
In a Heartbeat Final Reflection
There is a saying that Leigh Anne Touhy carries around with her on a little card. It is a saying by Bill Graham and one that Sean and Leigh Anne have taken very seriously since they were married. The saying goes, "The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. The greatest waste in all our earth, which can not be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day". It may seem that the Touhy's continue to reiterate the same point- they give and they feel giving is essential- but that's just it. Part of the reason the family puts so much emphasis on giving is because they have completely immersed themselves into the act and roles of giving, helping, and caring. The last part of their book really rounded out this point because in the entire story, not once do they seem pretentious about their helping or flaunt the charity they have done. Sean and Leigh Anne do what they do because they are rooted in the value of helping those in need. Many people will give to a charity and then speak about their donations for weeks, others might help out at a food kitchen, but again it becomes a public display of the good people should be doing out of the goodness of their hearts; not to gain some sort of societal approval.The book and the Touhy's really taught me that giving isn't something you should have to be talked into, but something that you should want to do. No matter what the situation, there is someone who could be worse off than you are. Recognizing that there is always something that could be done and taking the first steps in making a difference can make everlasting impacts. This book has inspired me, as cliche and corny as that may sound, but it has really affected how I want to view myself as a person. I wish everyone could do something little because small acts can truly change the world. I like to think of myself as giving, but what does that really mean? I give when I'm pestered to give or asked to? I lend a hand cause I actually want to, not because I think karma's gonna help me out at some point? This book really made me think of how important it is to stop and take a look around every once in a while because who really knows the kinds of things you could be missing.
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In a Heartbeat Post 5
When Michael and Collins were ready to head to college, it seemed no surprise that they both chose to attend their parent's alma mater, Ole Miss. Both Collins and Michael were excited to head out on their own and begin the next phase of their lives, but there was no way they were going to go about it alone. Sean and Leigh Anne noted that on multiple occasions Collins was the one who got homesick and had to be cared for by Michael, when all through high school it had very much been the other way around. Along with continuing to spend most of their time together, their relationship began to break down racial walls that had been built up at Ole Miss for decades. In the deep south, it is no surprise that even now, race is not as accepted as in other parts of the country. However, Collins and Michael were not ones to stand with the crowd and found constant ways to maintain their sibling relationship, whether their friends approved or not. Lucky for them, those around them were always a little shocked at first, but were more than welcoming to both. Michael often ate lunch with Collins at her sorority house and the occasions often included some of the other football guys because Collins had developed relationships with them too. The racial blocks were going to be broken down with Michael's strong defensive-football mind and Collins' cheerleading and their peers were going to just have to deal with it. The maintaining of the relationship for me is a huge thing to recognize because it reinforces that Michael was not a house guest of the Touhy's even though he may have started out that way. Michael was a concrete part of the family, especially as a support system for his sister. Their adventure through college was not only more enjoyable together, but further strengthened the love and care they had for each other.
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In a Heartbeat Post 4
One extremely inspiring part of the book was a section written by Leigh Anne and Sean's son, Michael. In a situation as moving and uncommon as that of the Touhy family, I think it can be easy to focus on the family doing the good deed (I am in no way saying they do not deserve recognition because they certainly do) and somewhat overshadow the child that they brought in. Michael's section of the book is decently small, a mere two and a half pages, but the message is extraordinary. Michael talks about the will he constantly had inside of him to not give up, to make something of himself, and to not allow his circumstances to overtake the person he had the potential to be. A lot of kids in Michael's position- homeless at some points, hungry, without family, and in need of support- would simply fall through the cracks or allow their circumstances to define who they are. It takes an amazing fire within someone to chalk their entire past up to simply that; the past. Many allow their pasts to decide their futures or don't reach beyond what most expect of them. Michael Oher could have easily decided that no one expected him to pass fifth grade, so why do it. He could have easily said there was no point in reaching goals because no one would recognize them. He could have easily given up and allowed drugs and gangs to overflow his life and potential. However, Michael channeled his rough childhood into a passion to do something beyond his means, a passion that no one could take away from him. Even Sean and Leigh Anne note that Michael doesn't dwell on his past or complain about the hardships he has gone through. He leaves the past where it belongs; behind the person he has become. Michael says, "I don't dwell on the past. I'm not going to feel sorry for myself because I didn't have a place to stay a lot of the time. It is what it is. Take it and run with it. That's why I'll never, ever wake up and be comfortable with my situation-- it'll always be unbelievable."
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Monday, January 10, 2011
In a Heartbeat Post 3
One of the most important parts of the next section of the book for me was when both Sean and Leigh Anne were discussing Leigh Anne's nightly ritual with her children. Every single night she will venture into each child's room, kiss them on the forehead, and say "I love you". For most people, especially in this area, the simple act of saying goodnight and showing affection is common and not given a second thought. Leigh Anne thought the same thing. However, as soon as Michael became a permanent member of the family, he not only got his own bed and room, but was also immediately included in the nightly ritual. The first few times Leigh Anne said "I love you", there was no response at all which never really bothered her. However, on one night about three months after Michael first stayed with the Touhy's, Leigh Anne once again gave him a goodnight kiss and said "I love you" which was met with Michael uttering as she left the room "I love you too". This particular instance in the book really hit me because it was just another reinforcement that Michael was a true and loving member of the Touhy family. He was not a charity case the family took in out of pity, he was not thrown to the side after a few months, but he was then S.J.'s brother, Collins' brother, and Leigh Anne and Sean's second son. Race, size, and circumstance did not affect or alter the way his family viewed him because there was no way their care for each other could be measured. At one point early in the book, Sean and Leigh Anne make a point to say that what they did for Michael was nothing compared to what he has done for them. They are now a stronger, closer, and more loving family because Michael is now a part of their lives. Time after time people all around the world look right through the Michaels everywhere. He is a kid walking on the street with a bag full of clothes, he is a kid at school who doesn't seem to eat lunch because he doesn't have the money, and he is the boy who has had every obstacle taunting him to fail. It takes a special person to see that boy; black, white, tall, short, skinny, or large and love him for the person he is, not the judgments we may make. As Sean has said, "we all begin on the same page and we're all going to end on the same page".
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In a Heartbeat Post 2
As I got deeper and deeper into the book, I discovered that both Leigh Anne and Sean were faced with childhood obstacles such as poverty and death. This came to me as somewhat of a shock because from what I had heard previously about the family, they were in fact very wealthy. Never the less, both Sean and Leigh Anne had to face their own hardships which is where they found how important giving truly was. Sean was raised in a loving family with four children who lived on the modest salary of a gym teacher. Most of Sean's inspiration and love came from his dad, but when Ed Touhy had a stroke the family was left with less than they had ever had before. Sean received a lot of support from his community and that help combined with the strong value of giving his dad had filled him with made for a very ready-to-give man. Leigh Anne was also raised far from rich with an ex-war veteran father who worked in the police force and a mother who worked hard to uphold an interior design business. There was no room for fancy cars and ultra fine clothing when her parents were determined to put two kids through private school as well as making sure Leigh Anne had the ability to attend college. Leigh Anne also was exposed to giving at an early age because her mother firmly put a value on helping others. One of Leigh Anne's close friends, Liz Marable even at one point found herself living with Leigh Anne's family because of her mother's love of helping others. Finding out both of these backgrounds actually made me more understanding of the Touhy's emphasis and love for giving to those around them. As Leigh Anne says, "God gives you money because he wants to see how you handle it". Yes, the family has a private plane and sure they could probably fund an entire school, but I doubt that they would ever have a problem just as easily giving those things up in order to help out someone in a more difficult position. They have instilled these giving values into their children as well; S.J., Collins, and Michael are expected to give to those around them and have now discovered their own love for helping those around them. Leigh Anne and Sean's backgrounds also helps explain the constant array of children coming and going at their house and their immediate love and care for Michael Oher. Michael hit a soft spot with both Sean and Leigh Anne, so their acts of kindness towards him were simple gestures at first, but soon grew to the love and respect they now have as a family.
Posted by Hayley Otto at 3:35 PM 0 comments
Free Reading Post 1
For my outside reading I chose to read In a Heartbeat, the story of the Touhy family and their incredible journey through their lives as well as the taking in and adoption of their son, Michael Oher. The Touhy's have recently shared their story on another global level; the popular box office hit, The Blind Side. While the movie was the outer layer of their story, Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy decided it was important to let the country and even the world into the whole story about their trials, tribulations, and the importance of family and love. When I first saw the Blind Side, without a doubt I was moved by the story; it was a great movie as well as stacked with a cast who portrayed the family in a way that the audience couldn't help but love. However, I couldn't help but think that this family might have been too good to be true. Allowing a young black boy into your home without much knowledge about him or where he has come from, especially in the deep south and the community the Touhy's lived in, seemed like some sort of godsend. As I began to read the actual book written by the parents of this NFL superstar, I realized that this was no sudden act of kindness, but rather the same giving that Sean and Leigh Anne were used to. I was instantly moved by their message of giving as opposed to receiving and their ability to look beyond what is on the surface to find something beautiful.
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