EIA Report: NEA Spends $18.8M on Advocacy Groups |
posted by: Alix | January 10, 2012, 06:38 PM |
The Education Intelligence Agency, a popular education research blog run by union-watchdog Mike Antonucci, has analyzed the NEA's 2010-11 financial disclosure report and discovered that the largest teachers union in the country has given nearly $19 million of teacher dues, some collected by force, to advocacy groups and primarily left-leaning causes. Up $5 million from the previous year, the NEA has increased their advocacy spending despite a climate of declining membership and harsh budget realities. In examining these groups and figures, it is critical to distinguish the fact that this money is not from the separate NEA political action committee, rather directly comprised of NEA membership dues. Despite claims from the union that member dues stay local, the complete list speaks volumes about where member dues are going in a difficult economy. Among the shocking contributions, financial support was given to groups that advocate for a national popular vote, socialized medicine, several gay rights firms, and an organization that advocates for easier paths to citizenship. In addition to these advocacy groups, millions of dollars were given to campaigns to stop ballot initiatives that blocked policies such as school choice as well as emergency dollars to states like Wisconsin and Ohio, to preserve forced dues. In Florida alone, the NEA sent $800,000 to Fair Districts Florida, $500,000 to the Florida Education Association PAC, and another $851,000 in financial assistance to FEA, outside of its yearly subsidy. Regardless of the fact that polls find NEA members have diverse political views, often leaning conservative politically, the astronomical amount of money the NEA spends on partisan political issues is shocking and offensive to millions. Others have no idea they are paying hundreds a year to fund these partisan causes that fuel a union agenda with tentacles reaching into nearly every hot button social issue. Political leanings aside, the NEA claims to have a mission that exclusively supports teachers. How does funding these causes and advocacy groups advance and support educators as professionals? It is imperative that teachers everywhere understand where their hard earned money is going. NEA members across the country directly support these groups through their dues, despite what local union representatives tell unsuspecting teachers. At AAE, we are proud to stand in stark contrast to the teacher unions. As a non-union, non-partisan organization, we operate on a lean budget designed to exclusively spend membership dues on liability insurance, legal protection and other professional benefits. We do not support partisan politics and do not take positions on issues unrelated to education. Know where your money is going; let your colleagues know they have a choice. Join AAE today. The full list of contributions directly from teacher dues is as follows: 400% Is Too High - $50,000 AFL-CIO - $2.2 million ($1.2 million member communication research and strategy, $1 million legislative policy development) AFSCME - $20,000 American Rights at Work - $10,000 America Votes - $1,721,000 American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education - $74,000 American Constitution Society - $10,000 Americans United for Change - $30,000 America's Families First - $3,150,000 Center for American Progress - $25,000 Center for Economic Organizing - $25,300 Center for Law and Education - $25,000 Center for Tax and Budget Accountability - $20,000 Center for Teaching Quality - $318,848 Center for U.S. Global Leadership - $10,000 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association - $50,000 Class Size Matters - $25,000 Clergy Strategic Alliances - $21,000 Coalition for Our Communities - $700,000 Coalition to Save Our Constitution - $25,000 Committee for Children - $10,000 Committee for Education Funding - $19,913 Committee on States - $60,000 Communities for Quality Education - $1 million Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. - $170,000 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - $55,000 Council of Chief State School Officers - $50,417 Council of State Governments - $19,750 Democracy Alliance - $85,000 Economic Policy Institute - $255,000 Education Commission of the States - $60,000 Education Writers Association - $11,500 Educator Compensation Institute - $25,000 Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate - $200,000 Employee Benefit Research Institute - $7,500 Everybody Wins DC - $8,000 Excelencia in Education - $15,000 Fair Districts Florida - $800,000 FairTest - $35,000 Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network - $7,500 Global Institute for Language and Literacy Development - $18,000 Good Jobs First - $15,000 Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice - $250,000 Health Care for America Now! - $125,000 Hip Hop Caucus Education Fund - $10,000 Hispanic Institute - $50,000 HOPE (Yes on SQ 744) - $1,500,000 ($1,758,000 last year) Human Rights Campaign - $5,000 Idahoans for Responsible Education Reform - $157,000 Initiative for Responsible Investment - $5,000 Institute for Educational Leadership - $5,000 Jobs with Justice - $10,000 Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy - $11,700 Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law - $40,000 Leadership Conference on Civil Rights - $10,000 League of United Latin American Citizens - $70,000 Learning First Alliance - $22,800 Lincoln Center Institute - $75,000 MediaMatters - $100,000 Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund - $10,000 Midwest Academy - $5,000 NAACP - $25,000 National Action Network - $60,000 National Association for Asian and Pacific American Education - $5,000 National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education - $17,500 National Association for Multicultural Education - $5,000 National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund - $12,500 National Black Caucus of State Legislators - $5,500 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards - $10,000 National Coalition on Black Civic Participation - $22,500 National Conference of State Legislatures - $40,946 National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education - $400,373 National Immigration Law Center - $5,000 National Indian Education Association - $19,900 National Jewish Democratic Council - $5,000 National Labor College - $17,881 National Pan-Hellenic Council - $50,000 National Parent Teachers Association - $6,250 National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa - $10,000 National Public Pension Coalition - $135,000 National Women's Law Center - $10,000 Netroots Nation - $24,999 New Democratic Network - $15,000 New Organizing Institute - $10,000 New Teacher Center - $333,834 North Carolina Citizens for Protecting Our Schools- $200,000 One Nation/TIDES - $250,000 Parent Teacher Home Visit Project - $10,000 Partnership for 21st Century Skills - $45,000 Patriot Majority PAC - $200,000 People for the American Way - $128,050 Pew Charitable Trusts - $5,000 Phi Delta Kappa International - $50,000 Progress Michigan - $10,000 Progress Now - $125,000 Progressive Future - $100,000 Progressive Majority - $46,625 Project New West - $333,498 Rainbow PUSH Coalition - $5,000 Rebuild America's Schools - $60,000 University of Colorado Boulder Sponsored Project - $250,000 Republican Main Street Partnership - $20,000 Ripon Society - $10,000 Robert Russa Moton Museum - $50,000 Rock the Vote - $80,000 Saving First Things First - $50,000 United for a Fair Economy - $12,000 United for Missouri Priorities - $250,000 University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability - $25,000 U.S. Action - $80,000 U.S. Global Leadership Coalition - $15,000 U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute - $31,004 Voter Activation Network - $71,900 VoteVets.org - $270,000 WAND Education Fund - $15,000 Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation - $167,336 Washingtonians for Education, Health & Tax Relief - $750,000 Will Steger Foundation - $10,276 Win Minnesota Political Action Fund - $50,000 Women's Voices, Women Vote - $50,000 Youth Service America - $20,000 What do you think about the NEA’s spending? Would you spend your money on funding these groups? Comment below.
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