Posted under Courts & Independence Institute & PPC & Teachers
Do individual teachers have a right to decide how their money is spent on politics? A few years ago the U.S. Supreme Court upheld common sense and unanimously ruled in the Davenport case that the answer is Yes.
The case originated from a lawsuit by the state of Washington and a group of teachers whose funds were being misused by the union. The Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) in Olympia, Washington, did the hard work and led the charge in filing the complaint that brought the abuses to the state’s attention.
Last week EFF won final victory (and closure) in the case, as the Washington Education Association officially signed off on a settlement that “will pay $1.2 million in penalties and restitution, not to mention the attorneys fees spent to defend itself.” You know that’s a big deal, because the case has been going on longer than little old me has been alive … Wow!
EFF’s Mike Reitz, a recurring favorite iVoices guest, sat down with my Education Policy Center friend Ben DeGrow to talk about the basic facts of the case, the cause for celebration, and what lies ahead in the fight for union accountability and public employees’ free speech rights. Click the play button below (or follow this link) to listen:
Will Colorado stand up for my teacher and the thousands like her who deserve to be asked first whether and how their money is spent on politics? Here’s hoping for a little common sense, Colorado-style.
