When it comes to politics, the teachers’ union rarely misses a roll call. An organization intended to support teachers and their professional needs has morphed into a loud, persistent political force, often more concerned with pushing a partisan agenda and weighing in on every hot-button issue than improving schools. And it’s no secret that its investment in ballot boxes predominantly favors one political party and its policy agenda.
But the union represents over a million voices nationwide — what about union members who support a different political party? Or no party at all? Or, given the hotly contested races that can occur even within the same party, what about union members who support a different candidate?
According to American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten, teachers upset with the union’s overreach into partisan politics should just opt out.
This advice was apparently given during Weingarten’s recent call-in segment of the Brian Lehrer Show on New York Public Radio, reports Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project. A New York City public school teacher phoned in during the show to express frustration over AFT’s New York affiliate endorsing self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor.
Weingarten’s response: “The union can be as political as it wants as long as it’s democratic. You have the right to pull back on your [union] contributions if you don’t like the direction of the union.”
That is to say, DeAngelis sums up for us, “if you disagree with how the union spends your money, just opt out.” Which, he adds, is actually good advice from the union, for once.
Teachers who are tired of bankrolling the Democratic Party’s agenda through union dues should follow her counsel and stop handing over their hard-earned paychecks to what has become little more than a political machine. In the 2024 election cycle, over 99 percent of the campaign contributions from Weingarten’s AFT went to Democrats. This scam is a one-way street funneling teachers’ money straight into the coffers of progressive politicians and causes.
Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Janus v. AFSCME, educators — including Minnesota teachers — can no longer be forced to financially support a union, and speech they disagree with, as a condition of employment.
While the Janus decision opened the door for teachers’ rights, walking through it is still a big decision for many educators. In Minnesota, teachers are limited to an annual opt-out window that is open from Sept. 1-Sept. 30, which is busy back-to-school season as well. If teachers miss the window, they are automatically locked into paying dues for another year. Perhaps more stressful than the hassle of opt-out paperwork, though, is the subtle bullying and veiled intimidation that could occur. That is why it is important for teachers to know about the handful of professional educator associations that not only offer liability coverage and job protection benefits but a network of colleagues who have made similar decisions regarding union membership. (Yes, even in Minnesota!)
For educators hesitant to make this career-defining choice, and because the opt-out window just ended for this year, they should at least consider reclaiming part of their voice by requesting their political action committee (PAC) refund. Each year, Education Minnesota — the state affiliate of AFT — charges member teachers for its PAC. The union increased the PAC contribution this year from $25 to $30. PAC money is spent on supporting political parties, candidates, and other political funds.
The deduction is treated as part of union dues, so teachers are not offered the right to opt-out of the deduction once and for all. The refund must be requested every single year. Refund request forms are available in the union’s magazine Minnesota Educator and must be filled out, signed, and mailed to Education Minnesota’s accounting department.
The union must receive the refund request form by Oct. 31 for continuing members, or within 30 days of signing a membership application for new members, so don’t wait until the last minute to send it in.
Once the form is signed and filled out, mail it to:
Education Minnesota Accounting Department
Attn: Refund Request
41 Sherburne Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55103-2196
Educators should not have this additional burden imposed on them just to exercise their constitutional right to not fund a union PAC. Thirty dollars is not a lot of money, but it is a matter of principle. And it should be a matter of choice to contribute in the first place versus the union taking the money and forcing teachers to go through a process to ask for it back. The union could easily make it an opt-in system versus an opt-out system.
In addition to this PAC contribution, Education Minnesota uses union dues to fund political activities and lobbying, which it self-reports in its annual federal filing to the U.S. Department of Labor. In the most recent available filing, which covers Sept. 2023-Aug. 2024, Education Minnesota reports it spent just over $2.4 million on political activities and lobbying. Pair that with the national dues that Minnesota teachers pay that get spent on additional political activities and lobbying by AFT and the National Education Association (NEA) and there is a lot of money being shelled out for one party.
Teachers tired of getting a bill for someone else’s politics should take Weingarten’s advice seriously. The frankness with which it was delivered shows the union’s partisan agenda isn’t going to be dialed back any time soon. The only way it may be slightly tempered is if educators stop bankrolling its politics and cut the union a reality check by continuing to opt out.
