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EIA Report: NEA Spends $26M on Advocacy Groups
posted by: Colin | January 16, 2010, 11:54 AM   

The Education Intelligence Agency, a popular education research blog run by Mike Antonucci, has analyzed the NEA's 2008-09 financial disclosure report and discovered that the largest teachers union in the country has given over $26 million of teacher dues, some collected by force, to advocacy groups.

While some of the funds went to ostensibly education-related causes ($15,000 to Ford's Theater) or student-related causes ($11,000 to Boys & Girls Club of the Gulf Coast), these were often token amounts compared to where the real money goes: to political causes, including $450,000 to Health Care for America Now! which supports President Obama and the Democrat's health care reform effort; $203,000 to U.S. Action, which actively supports the Obama health care plan; $250,000 to the Americans United for Change; $261,800 to Democrat-supporter Project New West; $150,000 to America Votes the "permanent progressive campaign"; $25,000 to the Democratic Leadership Council; $10,000 to Democratic GAIN, etc. Millions were spent on state ballot initiatives involving taxes and lobbying.

Other contributions some teachers may find controversial include dues money given to the gay and lesbian community, specifically $157,500 to the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, $15,000 to the Human Rights Campaign, and $5,062 to the World Outgames.

In contrast, the Association of American Educators does not spend member dues on partisan politics or controversial non-education issues.

Comments (2)Add Comment
Answer to Don's question
written by AAE, July 07, 2010

Hello Don,

Thank you for your question.

AAE makes no inquiry into the sexual orientation of AAE members or non-members, nor would their sexual orientation preclude them from full membership in AAE. AAE also does not spend member dues on non-education issues, political parties, candidates, or campaigns.

Further, AAE does not control the implementation of a member’s individual liability insurance policy that comes with professional membership. An insured member is covered by the terms of the policy regardless of their sexual orientation.

Any W-2 employed educator of an educational entity (school, college, university) can become a dues-paying professional member of AAE. Anyone can become an associate member of AAE.

~AAE
Educator-Art Specialist
written by Don Leonard in Nevada, July 01, 2010

What is your association's policies regarding sexual orientation of those represented by you? I have heard some Teacher Associations are religious-based organizations that enforce a Christian-morality based agenda and will not represent teachers who are gay. Does your association fit into this catagory?

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