State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Celebrates Landmark Victory to Establish Social Security Fairness for Educators and Public Servants

SACRAMENTO—Today, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond issued a statement celebrating the signing of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) into law by President Biden.

“For decades, our educators and other public servants, including firefighters and police officers, have been shortchanged by reduced Social Security benefits when they retire,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “These dedicated professionals spend their lives caring for our children and communities, often while earning less than they would have in the private sector. It is only right to make sure that they get the benefits they have earned in retirement. This has been a long fight, which I have been proud to support since my time in the State Assembly. Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, our educators’ retirements will finally be made whole.”

During his tenure in the California State Assembly, Superintendent Thurmond authored A.J.R. 41, which called on the federal government to repeal the Windfall Elimination Program and Government Program Offset, two measures that have prevented teachers, police officers, postal workers, and other public servants from collecting their full Social Security benefits. Both policies, recently referred to by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as a “50-year mistake,” will now be eliminated by H.R. 82.

This victory follows a decades-long push to ensure that public employees receive their earned Social Security benefits in retirement, including significant nationwide efforts by the National Education Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the California Retired Teachers Association, and many other organized labor partners who represent public sector employees who have been impacted.

Members of the media can address follow-up inquiries or requests for interviews to communications@cde.ca.gov.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100