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For Immediate Release
September 26, 2006
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Contact: Heather Reams
703.739.2100
heather@aaeteachers.org
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Association of American Educators Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Decision
To Hear Case To Protect Teachers’ Liberties
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(Alexandria, VA) – Today the Association of American Educators applauds the U.S. Supreme Court
for agreeing to rule on a case that may give greater protection to teachers’ First Amendment
rights against forced unionism. Washington vs. Washington Education Association raises the
question of whether states can prohibit labor unions from using dues collected from non-union
members for political activities without the consent of those members.
“A union’s political funds should come from voluntary, informed contributors,” said Mr. Tracey
Bailey, 1993 National Teacher of the Year and Director of National Projects for the Association of
American Educators. “No one should have to pay for someone else’s politics or for controversial
issues that may go against one’s personal or political beliefs.”
Teacher unions already wield tremendous power. In nearly half the states, unions require
hundreds of thousands of teachers to pay union dues or their equivalent representation fees as a
condition of employment. Yet, union political spending is often at odds with the personal or
professional views of many teacher union members.
“Like most organizations, unions can raise money for politics through voluntary political
contributions. If that method falls short, they should not be allowed to make up the difference by
using teachers’ mandatory collective bargaining dues without permission,” added Mr. Bailey.
This past June, the Attorney General of Washington State and a group of nonunion teachers filed
petitions asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the Washington State Supreme
Court on this issue. The state court threw out a law that reasonably required union officials to
obtain permission from teachers before using their collective bargaining dues on politics.
Remarkably, the state court said it would place “too heavy an administrative burden” upon the
union.
The Association of American Educators is the largest national, non-union, professional educators’
association, offering an alternative to the partisan politics and non-educational agendas of the
teacher labor unions. AAE does not get involved in political issues or social agendas that are
outside the realm of education. AAE does not endorse, support or contribute to any political cause
or candidacy. AAE has members in all 50 states. http://www.aaeteachers.org.
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