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AFT Financial Disclosures Shed Light on Contributions to Partisan Politics
posted by: Alix | February 15, 2011, 04:12 PM   

A recent report by the Education Intelligence Agency sheds light on the financial disclosures of the American Federation of Teachers in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The analysis reveals that the AFT spent $2.6 million of member dues on a wide array of left-leaning advocacy groups, charities, and big labor organizations.

It is important to distinguish the fact that this money is not from the AFT political action committee, rather directly comprised of AFT member dues. Despite claims from the union that member dues stay local, the complete list speaks volumes about where member dues are going.

Among the shocking contributions, financial support was given to groups such as the shamed community group ACORN, a group that promotes the foreign policy of Secretary Clinton, and several big labor foundations and policy organizations.

While the money the AFT spends is not as high as the larger NEA, the contributions highlight the AFT's commitment to big labor. Unlike the NEA, the AFT rarely sent contributions directly to ballot initiative campaigns rather focused funding on other unions and union coalition groups.

It would be safe to say that the NEA finds it more beneficial to spend member dues on partisan political ballot initiatives that prevent reforms while the AFT prefers to focus on lifting up other unions. Together the NEA and AFT spend countless millions of member dues on a hard lined liberal agenda despite the political preferences of their members.

Fed up? At AAE we pride ourselves on operating on a lean budget to exclusively spend membership dues on liability insurance and professional benefits. We do not support partisan politics and do not take positions on issues unrelated to education. Let a teacher know that they do have a choice. Join AAE today.

Take a moment to peruse the list for yourself. Would you want your money going to these groups?


ACORN - $22,770

Alliance for Retired Americans - $6,500

American Friends of the Yitzhak Rabin Center - $11,000

American Labor Studies Center - $5,000

The American Prospect - $100,000

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance - $5,000

Blue Green Alliance Foundation - $81,995

Center for American Progress - $25,000

Center for Citizenship Education (Mongolia) - $17,025

Center for Tax and Budget Accountability - $100,000

Child Labor Coalition - $5,000

Children's Defense Fund - $7,000

Clergy Strategic Alliances - $96,485

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists - $5,000

Coalition of Labor Union Women - $5,000

Committee for Education Funding - $19,357

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. - $45,000

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - $30,000

Council on Competitiveness - $5,000

Demos - $10,000

Economic Policy Institute - $356,522

Freedom House - $30,000

Harvard Labor and Worklife Program - $5,000

Health Care for America Now! - $100,000

Healthy Schools Campaign - $5,500

Houston Turnout Project - $10,000

Interfaith Worker Justice - $5,000

International Labor Rights Forum - $5,500

Jewish Labor Committee - $9,000

Jobs with Justice - $15,250

Justice Resource Center - $12,266

Keystone Research Center - $13,750

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement - $27,647

Labor Project for Working Families - $7,500

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights - $50,000

League of United Latin American Citizens - $15,000

Learning First Alliance - $107,658

Medicare Rights Center - $15,750

NAACP - $81,500

National Black Caucus of State Legislators - $11,500

National Coalition on Black Civic Participation - $15,000

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education - $52,800

National Council of La Raza - $32,000

National Conference of State Legislatures - $42,263

National Council of Negro Women - $25,000

National Democratic Institute - $50,000

National Endowment for Democracy - $12,500

National Italian American Foundation - $5,000

National Labor College - $246,670

National Staff Development Council - $25,000

Netroots Nation - $50,000

New Mexico Voices for Children - $20,000

Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State - $5,000

No Limits Foundation - $25,000

The Peggy Browning Fund - $5,500

Policy Matters Ohio - $50,000

Project New West - $10,000

Rainbow PUSH Coalition - $25,000

Rebuild America's Schools - $30,000

SHARE - $10,000

Special Olympics - $50,000

Unite L.A. - $50,000

United Way of the National Capital Area - $10,000

U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute - $15,000

Voices for America's Children - $5,000

Workers Independent News - $50,000

Working America - $200,000

Do you think this is a wise use of membership dues?
Comment below.


Comments (1)Add Comment
How is this making education effective?
written by Angie Treadway, Louisiana, February 16, 2011

Observing the names on the list of contributions made by AFT, one thing stands out: the focus in on protecting the adult, not on ensuring a quality education for the child.

Of course, children do not pay union dues.

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