Education Intelligence Agency reported in January that the National Education Association (NEA) gave $18.8 million to advocacy groups in 2010. The contribution totals for each group were tabulated from financial disclosure records. Remember: these contributions do NOT represent the money that NEA gave to political candidates, but contributions — from member dues — made to various organizations.
Here are some of the EIA findings.
- Donations to advocacy groups are up $5 million from the previous year… So much for the tough economy.
- NEA claims to have a membership that represents a range of political views, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the giving patterns. The overwhelming majority of contributions were to left-leaning groups. These groups were advocates for such causes as socialized medicine, illegal immigration and gay rights.
- Money was also given to states to fight state ballot initiatives in Ohio and Wisconsin
- North Carolina received $200,000 to fund NC Citizens for Protecting Our Schools. According to campaign finance records, the Washington DC-based Families First Action Fund also donated $30,000 to NC Citizens Protecting Our Schools. The group then used $8,418 of that money on get-out-the-vote calls to aid Democratic school incumbent Kevin Hill in a critical runoff election that allowed Democrats to regain the majority on the Wake County School Board.
Remember, NEA is the parent affiliate of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE). Anyone who is a member of NCAE is by definition also a member of NEA and must also pay dues to that organization. For 2011-12, the average full-time teacher pays about $415 in dues to NCAE/NEA.
You have to wonder: How do these contributions advance the interests and the professional development of teachers?
They stand up to politicians more interested in filling their pockets with taxpayers money than educating kids… look at the connections and follow the money. Republicans have a vested interest in privitizing NC’s schools… teacher groups do not. AND No dues are used for political campaigns ever. It is seperate and it is called a PAC you know like the superpacs Republicans like clueless Bob Lubeke love!! the average donation to NCAE’s PAC is 12.00 yes twelve big dollars a year. WOW so really what you are saying is that a million dollars from a guy like ART POPE is more democratic than a million votes from teachers…. nice reasoning Bob welcome to the facist state of America the new conservative agenda. S
top spreading lies BOB!!! you need to correct this article asap or just let it fester like the other yellow journalism practiced on this very sketchy site
“No dues are used for political campaigns ever”
If I had not already has so much experience dealing with the delusional, angry know-nothings that populate the ranks of the NCAE leadership in this state, I would be amazed at that statement, coming as it does after a careful, factual tracing of how members’ dues money does in fact make it into a political campaign. There is simply no reasoning with the NCAE.
“If I had not already HAD…”
Pardon the typo.
Still waiting on Bob to correct his latest misinfo. spin and Jim I wish you would fact-check yourself. No dues go to political action the association has teachers who donate 12.00 to 40.00 dollars a YEAR to a PAC it is totally seperate and you voluntarily sign up just like you do to join the association.- I think we all know which party thinks a million dollars trumps a million votes… and it has an elephant as its symbol Jim
To both gentlemen show us your proof that NCAE DUES go to political campaigns…. I am waiting…
still waiting for you to show the proof… and waiting on a fact to be used on this questionable Art Pope propaganda site.
you forgot to remove my posts … you’re getting sloppy!!!