A TEACHER TO TEACHER TALK

I had the pleasure of talking “teacher to teacher” about Alaska teachers and schools with Alaska National Education (NEA) President Barb Angalak. Barb and I have both been classroom teachers, so it’s understandable we share many concerns in common, including appropriate funding of education, school working conditions, plus recruitment and retention of quality teachers. Both of us expressed a need to return to a “defined benefit” pension for teachers and other public employees.

I’m both a retired US Air Force person, and a retired public school teacher. I’ve “been there, done that.” My military and teaching careers were fulfilling, but I must admit there were frustrating times when, I might not have persevered until retirement in either career, without the security of future defined retirement benefits. That’s reality.