Educators under Attack: States Moving to Silence Educator Voices

Anti-public education forces are threatening the rights of educators and seeking to silence organizations that fight for educators’ rights.

· The Alabama State Senate has passed legislation (SB 2) under the guise of “ethics reform” that is really a thinly veiled attempt to undercut public educators.

· The bill would prevent associations like the Alabama Association of Educators from collecting any funds, including membership dues, through payroll deduction.

· The bill contains very restrictive language that essentially renders the Alabama Association of Educators and their members voiceless in debates on issues that impact their schools, their students, and their personal pocketbooks.

· In fact, vague language in the bill appears to prohibit any collection of membership dues or other funds by any means – which would essentially put the AEA out of business.

· Wisconsin Governor-elect Scott Walker has called for rescinding the right of government employees to collectively bargain. The Republican-controlled legislature will likely support this idea.

· Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty published an op-ed in the December 13 Wall Street Journal calling for a large-scale confrontation with public employee unions, including “bring[ing] public employee compensation back in line with the private sector and reduc[ing] the overall size of the federal civilian work force," and “end[ing] defined-benefit retirement plans for government employees. “

These are just the tip of the iceberg. More states are sure to follow with similar anti-education, anti-union initiatives.

We need to fight back! Educators have a right to organize and advocate for policies that affect their jobs and the students they serve.

Help us fight back by signing up to volunteer at http://www.educationvotes.nea.org/! If educators in your state are under attack now, we will connect you with advocates fighting for public education. If not, we will contact you about actions you can take today to stop these attacks from spreading.