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Teachers: You Can
Contribute $100’s to Your Favorite Charity at No Cost
(and encourage a return to morality by your state’s Education Association)
by Romney Biddulph
Does the title sound too good to be true? Some background
on the national teachers unions provides perspective.
Several decades
ago, the national teachers unions (National Education Association
and the American Federation of Teachers) were favoring policies
that conservative educators favored.
They encouraged
teacher testing ("If you don't know the subject, you shouldn't
be a teacher") to increase professionalism in teaching. They
considered merit pay. A controversial curriculum guide on nuclear
war was denounced by the unions as "promoting
propaganda in the classrooms." When the Council on Interracial
Books for Children reviewed "homophobia" in children's
literature, the unions publicly denounced it as “left-wing extremism”.
But the unions
have changed in the last few decades. They now promote teaching
that homosexuality is “just another life-style” (NEA Resolution
B-9d), and promote gay student organizations. The NEA’s
Resolution I-13: "The National Education Association supports
family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom"
(abortion). Condom education for children is promoted. The unions
are opposed to educational choice for parents. They now promote
gun control and world government and oppose public library pornography
filters, areas far a field from the basics in education. The NEA
opposes Congress’ English language fluency act, tax reduction, and
a Constitutional Amendment restoring religious freedom. Many of
the issues presently promoted are anti-family, immoral or radically
“left-wing”, in contrast to the unions’ positions decades ago.
The unions’ contributions to political candidates are skewed heavily
toward those candidates who agree with such anti-family positions.
Thus your money is supporting candidates and positions that may
fly in the face of your most cherished beliefs.
Thomas Jefferson
said it well, “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money
for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and finds abhorrent,
is sinful and tyrannical.” When you withdraw your contribution,
it sends a message to the national union that they do not represent
you in these things.
A recent court decision means teachers belonging to a National
Education Association (NEA) affiliate (NJ EA, Ohio EA, Washington
EA, etc.) can become “religious objectors”, if they are sincere
in their beliefs. Teachers may then contribute to any charitable
organization in lieu of “representation
fees” – thus not paying anything to the NEA or the state affiliate.
Here’s how it is done:
Address a letter to the Membership Director of your state NEA
affiliate:
Dear Mr./Mrs. Membership Director
You may
not be familiar with EEOC Charge Nos. 220A10859 and 220A11273 filed
against the National Education Association alleging religious discrimination.
The charges were filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, as amended (Title VII). The National Education Association
and its state affiliates agree to:
1.
Reasonably accommodate the sincerely-held
religious beliefs of is non-member fair share fee payers;
2.
Adopt and maintain a Fair Share Fee
Religious Objector Policy and Procedure and follow the Policy and
Procedure in actual practice as outlined in Appendix A
3.
Not engage in any retaliatory activity
towards teachers, NEA, or state affiliate members.
I do not agree with the NEA and (state)EA political
choices, your advocacy of abortion, and “comprehensive” sex education
on religious grounds. In particular, I was appalled at your New
Jersey affiliate’s “dis-inviting” three abstinence
speakers to the NJEA Convention. As a teacher of impressionable
youth, I can certify that abstinence and telling youth the truth
is preferable to Planned Parenthood’s “Safe Sex” message. Your
stance on this issue (as well as the others mentioned) is not in
students’ best interests.
Please allow me to resign from the (state)EA.
You may either re-direct my representation fee or allow me to contribute
in lieu of the representation fee to:
List
your favorite charity’s name, address, phone number, and website
here*
(Briefly
explain why the charity qualifies as a charity.) Please acknowledge
receipt of this letter and let me know the annual amount of the
representation fee.
Very truly
yours,
/signed/
If any readers wish to see a copy of an executed contract
between a religious objector and a state education association,
or if you wish to see a copy of the EEOC Conciliation Agreement,
please fax 973-543-1092. One last thought, unless your school district’s
Education Association advocates immorality, you may wish to contribute
voluntarily the local fee ($30 or $40) to retain the goodwill of
your fellow teachers, and assist with local representation expenses.
If you write your letter now, you may be able to implement this
beginning with the new school year.
*For example:
LDS Foundation
15 East South Temple , 2nd Floor East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
801-240-5567
http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/aboutus/
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© 2003 Meridian
Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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