Homeschool World Forum

A lot of teachers don't like teacher's unions, since they rarely act in the best interests of the student, and lobby (as you stated) in ways that their membership may not agree with. The primary focus of a large union like the NEA is always power and keeping union revenue as high as possible, never on improving things for anyone but themselves. Teacher's unions have been instrumental in blocking results-based bonuses, teacher competency testing, school vouchers, etc. - basically anything that might cause public schools to identify the weakest teachers and reward the strongest.

Anyhow, nice to see that there's now a precedent showing that teachers don't have to pay NEA dues. I'm all for unions and collective bargaining, but only when membership is voluntary. The second you start blocking non-union members from working, you've basically declared a monopoly in your workplace, and that should (in my opinion) be illegal. Apparently the federal court agrees.

When I taught in the public school they paid our dues to the state level program, becuase by joining you ended up with your retirment fund.

Personally the day the NEA tries to tell me how to teach my children in my home is the day they get to see my middle finger. NO GROUP like the NEA should have a say in what goes on inside the walls of my home.

I hope lots of teachers will pull their support now that the court has said they do not have to belong.