Archive for June 2015

Union bosses react to a bill submitted to the Michigan legislature that would put some control on release time for Michigan teachers and other public sector workers with the exception of police and firefighters.Lori Higgins has the story in the Detroit Free Press online. School districts would be prohibited from negotiating agreements that allow union…

New York teacher union officials are standing in the way of education tax credits for private schools out of fear they will not be able to control or unionize private schools.  The bill could help even union-sponsored scholarships because it offers donors a tax credit for contributing to the scholarships that would even aid children…

In an effort to increase membership and forced dues payers, American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten has called for more union involvement in charter schools.  While many charter schools are not unionized, workplace rules and regulations vary from state to state.  Jason Russell has the story in the Washington Examiner. Teachers unions want public schools to be the centers…

James Sherk and Nate Bohlander describe the case of the “missing” teacher.  Missing from the classroom, that is, as this teacher currently takes care of union business full-time but will enjoy all of the perks of a Pennsylvania teacher courtesy of the Pennsylvania taxpayer.  This practice, known as “official” or “release” time, and is paid for by the…

Hillary Clinton’s views on education seem to be more in line with teacher union officials’ agendas than Barack Obama’s.  Libby Nelson has the story on vox.com. Obama has picked fights with teachers unions by promoting the Common Core, charter schools, and merit pay for teachers. Clinton has a better relationship with unions who either oppose those policies…

In her interview with the president of the National Education Association (NEA), Hillary Clinton vowed to ” . . . listen to teachers.”  Or did she really mean she would listen to union officials?   Will the voice of nonmembers and forced-dues payers fall on deaf ears with Hillary Clinton?  Lindsey Layton has the story in the Washington Post.  As she points out,…

National Education Association (NEA) President Lilly Eskelsen Garcia has interviewed Hillary Rodham Clinton as part of the NEA’s vetting process before announcing the union officials’ presidential endorsement for 2016.  Miguel Gonzales has the report on nea.org. Today, NEA president Lily Eskelsen García met with Secretary Hillary Clinton as part of the Association’s recommendation process for the 2016 presidential campaign. NEA,…

Mike Antonucci questions what AFT interns will get out of unionization. Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the formation of a union of AFT interns: “We respect the decision of the American Federation of Teachers interns to form and vote for a union—the first intern (non-medical) union in the nation. As…