Illinois Association of School Boards (It's A Scandalous Benefit?)

Wheaton-Warrenville School District 200 is a member of the Illinois Association of School Boards (which goes by the acronym IASB).  IASB could stand for something else, too - perhaps It's A Scandalous Benefit.  The Chicago Tribune highlighted this in its March 23 editorial, exposing how State Representative Roger Eddy (R-District 109) will be able to boost his pension from the Teachers Retirement System and otherwise abuse the state pension system - at 53 years of age.  Eddy has been serving as a school superintendent and in the General Assembly at the same time.  Now he is leaving both jobs to take over as head of the IASB.

District 200 Board members have taken prominent roles in IASB leadership, with former board member Marie Slater serving as President.  On July 13, 2011, the District 200 Board again renewed its membership, at a cost of $16,303.  Why is our district part of an organization that is aiding and abetting these pension abuses, by using state funds - designed for the benefit of classroom teachers - to cover its own top administrators?

We hear from time to time from the union about the average teacher pension is only $40,798.  I would think rank and file teachers would be up in arms about the abuse of their public pension system by administrators of a lobbying group for school districts. 

And as for District 200, pension reform begins at home.  Governor Quinn, recognizing the long term insolvency facing the teacher pension system, is now threatening local districts with a bill for part of the pension costs.  If local school districts - including District 200 - want to complain with a straight face, maybe they should stop the abuses by their own lobbying association, the IASB.