Years ago, when I first started teaching, I was told to join "a professional organization" (i.e. a union). "You never know when you might need them!" I was told. "It's for your own protection!"As a new teacher, you're so overwhelmed with things, which group to join didn't really seem to matter; I naively assumed they were all the same.
It pains me greatly to say this, but I joined NEA. And each year when we get that sheet to renew, drop, or change membership, I just sign off on it without much thought.
I'm such an idiot.
I'm changing now.
Now I'm paying attention.
This past weekend the NEA convention was held in (of all places) Chicago. As you may have heard, they voted "by a good margin: 5,414 delegates, or 72.04 percent," to endorse Obama for 2012, reports Education Week. This puts NEA PAC dollars in motion towards Obama's re-election campaign.
Even worse:
In conjunction with their Obama endorsement, the NEA approved a controversial measure that doubles individual member contributions to their political action funds from $10 to $20. The increase was made in effort to combat declining membership numbers and to ensure that the NEA remains the single largest contributor to partisan politics for the upcoming election cycle.
I've already put in motion cancellation of my membership to NEA. It makes me want to just throw up that I've been so negligent in my attention all this time.
This is not the only issue that I have with NEA; there are plenty of others. I only wish I'd joined the thousands of others and dropped my membership before now. Mike Antonucci wrote about this at Hot Air back in February.
But the most recent numbers show NEA lost more than 54,000 active K-12 members since this time last year. Coupled with less-than-expected increases in the average teacher salary – upon which NEA dues are based – the union will find itself with $14 million less revenue than it had planned. This includes about $500,000 less in the political and media funds.I'm outta there. Better late than never, I guess.
Update: Linked at Don Surber - thanks!
Congratulations.
ReplyDeletePat
ReplyDeleteI may have told you of a friend who's a teacher in California....talk about in the lion's den. But he is forced to be a member of NEA and the California. But it took the work of a lot of teachers to get some reform. Basically the money taken from him is divided into legitimate employee activities (e.g. legal representation) and political activities. He has it taken and every year the political money is refunded. Sucked but it's the best he can do.
He blogs at http://rightontheleftcoast.blogspot.com/
It's good that you have a choice. Here in California, a "fair share" state, I'm compelled by law to financially support a union I despise.
ReplyDeleteIn Louisiana, you can choose APEL or AAE. Good luck!
Must be nice to at least have the choice. Grew up in one bankrupt, dysfunctional blue state and traded it in for another
ReplyDeletePat, I'm glad you came clean about your membership in the NEA.
ReplyDeleteConfession is good for the soul.
Maybe if enough of y'all bolt, it won't have the teeth that it does. Pipe Dream!
It will always have teeth with the dimocraps.
Regardless, I'm iz prowd uv u 4 showin' 'em ur backside!
And, tell 'em to kiss it, too!