Fundraiser set to challenge New Mexico teacher retirement policy [Video]

A Target 7 investigation continues to uncover the challenges faced by retired New Mexico teachers who returned to work during the teacher shortage, only to find themselves owing thousands of dollars to the state’s retirement fund.Many have lost appeals and one educator is now organizing a fundraiser to pay for legal fees for dozens of teachers.Deep dive: Target 7 InvestigatesA Passion for Teaching and CoachingOrlando Griego, a retired Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) teacher and Rio Grande High School baseball coach is one of 42 educators caught in this predicament. Like many others, Griego stepped out of retirement during the pandemic to address teacher shortages. “I didn’t want to give up my true passion, which was being on the baseball field and having those relationships with the kids, with the young men,” Griego shared. During the pandemic, the state offered incentives for retired teachers to return to classrooms and other roles …