This November, educators all over the state of California are celebrating Retired Teachers Week. The celebration will span the week of November 7-13. This year is the 23rd year that the celebration is being observed.

After years, and sometimes decades, of giving selflessly to their students, their schools, and their communities, California’s retired teaches continue to give back through their wallets and their passion for volunteer work. Though some people would say that retired teachers and their pensions are a drain on the economy, facts and figures show that the opposite is true. Retired teachers pay $15.1 billion in federal, state, and local taxes each year. In addition, they donate nearly 2 million hours in volunteer work which has been valued at nearly $65 million. Furthermore, members of the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) have donated more than $750,000 in grants, scholarships, and donations to schools and current and future teachers last year.

CalRTA has had a long history of working on behalf of the state’s retired educators. The organization was founded in 1929, while the Great Depression was in full swing, when a small group of teachers organized to fight for retirement security for the state’s retired educators. “Our early leaders showed us what dedication, compassion, and determination can accomplish,” observed Dr. Ron Breyer, CalRTA State President. “Today we’re trying to live up to their example as we continue our fight for retirement security while also giving back to our local communities and protecting public education,” her said.

To learn more about the California Retired Teachers Association, follow this link to their website calrta.org.