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The National Education Association (NEA) has become a partisan political organization and its federal charter should be revoked. A study of the types of organizations granted federal charters indicates the modern-day NEA no longer fits the profile of those organizations accorded federal charter status. The NEA began as a professional organization but instead became a powerful labor union using compulsory union dues payments to fund its political activities. A series of state-by-state graphs tracks NEA membership in comparison to the number of teachers over a 30-year period, indicating the years when unified dues practices were adopted or monopoly bargaining powers granted.

The National Education Assn and American Federation of Teachers act to block education producer competition by setting certification requirements, requiring negotiated wages and opposing private schools among other ways. The control exercised by teacher unions over state education policy is founded on voluntary and involuntary union dues which are collected by the school districts and then used by the unions for lobbying. Union members should be empowered through Landrum-Griffin Act disclosure requirements and restrictions on union revenues to reduce union influence on policy.

The political activities of teachers' unions are dependent upon revenues, as shown by the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Assn. While the precise revenues and expenditures are not completely known, the legislative agenda of both unions shows strong financial support for Democratic Party candidates and office holders. Activities include political action committees, candidate endorsements, party caucuses and political committees.

It is amazing how many people who are 'pro-choice' when it comes to abortion are against choice when it comes to education. Indeed, that is the official position of the [...]

WASHINGTON, DC As ever, American politicians are the prey of 'special interests'. The first in an occasional series looks at the teachers' unions and the Democrats THERE is an old [...]

WHEN BARACK OBAMA TOOK OFFICE, few thought he would prove as fervent as George W. Bush about reforming America's woeful public schools. But these days, Obama's attempts to overhaul public [...]

The internet is revolutionizing grassroots lobbying, just as it is revolutionizing everything else. Now even the smallest advocacy organizations have Web sites, to which many have added a page for [...]