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NEA Gives More Than $13 Million to Advocacy Groups and Partisan Politics
posted by: Cindy Omlin | January 19, 2011, 05:25 PM   


It is important to distinguish the fact that this money is not from the NEA political action committee, rather directly comprised of NEA member dues. Despite claims from the union that member dues stay local, the complete list speaks volumes about where member dues are going.

Among the shocking contributions, financial support was given to groups that promote "progressive social change", a group that advocates for a national popular vote, several gay rights organizations, and a group that advocates for a federal health care system.

In addition to these advocacy groups, millions of dollars were given to campaigns to stop ballot initiatives that advocated for reform minded policies such as school choice. The NEA sent an additional $3 million to state affiliates for the specific purpose of passing or defeating ballot initiatives or legislative measures.

Regardless of the fact that polls find NEA members lean conservative politically, the astronomical amount of money the NEA spends on partisan political issues is astounding. Regardless of political leanings, the NEA claims to have a mission that exclusively supports teachers. How does funding these groups advance and support professional educators?

It is critical that teachers everywhere understand where their hard earned money is going. NEA members across the country directly support these groups through their dues. For more information on how the NEA supports partisan politics read Powerful Failure.

At AAE we pride ourselves on operating on a lean budget to exclusively spend membership dues on liability insurance and professional benefits. We do not support partisan politics and do not take positions on issues unrelated to education. Let a teacher know that they do have a choice. Join AAE today.

Take a moment to peruse the list for yourself. Would you want your money going to these groups?

AFL-CIO - $150,000

AFSCME - $90,000

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity - $33,000

America Votes - $300,000

American Constitution Society - $15,000

American Federation of Teachers - $28,365

Arizona State University Office for Research & Sponsored Projects Administration - $325,000

Asian American Justice Center - $7,500

Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund - $5,000

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies - $5,000

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance - $5,000

Baptist Center for Ethics - $20,000

Campaign for America's Future - $15,000

Campaign for College Affordability - $25,000

Center for Economic Organizing - $13,200

Center for Independent Media - $5,000

Center for Law and Education - $25,000

Center for Tax and Budget Accountability - $60,000

Center for Teaching Quality - $230,767

Center for U.S. Global Leadership - $10,000

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association - $50,000

Children's Defense Fund - $5,000

Citizens United for Maine's Future - $25,000

Citizens Who Support Maine's Public Schools - $250,000

Coalition for Our Communities - $625,000

Coloradans for Responsible Reform - $400,000

Colorado Deserves Better -$50,000

Committee for Education Funding - $25,000

Committee on States - $6,500

Communities for Quality Education - $1 million

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. - $8,800

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - $50,000

Council of Chief State School Officers - $50,000

Council of State Governments - $34,500

Democracy Alliance - $85,000

Economic Policy Institute - $250,000

Education Commission of the States - $50,000

Education Law Center - $5,000

Educational Policy Institute - $5,000

Educator Compensation Institute - $25,000

Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate - $200,000

Emerge America - $5,000

Employee Benefit Research Institute - $7,500

Everybody Wins DC - $8,000

Excelencia in Education - $47,400

FairDistrictsFlorida.org - $250,000

FairTest - $25,000

Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute - $10,000

Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network - $5,000

Global Institute for Language and Literacy Development - $10,000

Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice - $250,000

Harvard Labor and Worklife Program - $5,000

Health Care for America Now! - $450,000

HEROS, Inc. - $202,835

HOPE (Yes on SQ 744) - $1,758,000

Human Rights Campaign - $15,000

Jobs with Justice - $15,000

Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy - $12,230

KnowledgeWorks Foundation - $75,000

Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State - $5,000

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights - $15,000

Learning First Alliance - $91,199

Lincoln Center Institute - $50,000

Mana - $25,000

MediaMatters - $100,000

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund - $25,000

Midwest Academy - $5,000

Missourians for Early Vote - $41,000

NAACP - $5,000

National Action Network - $10,000

National Association for the Education and Advancement of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans - $5,000

National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund - $12,500

National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification - $5,000

National Coalition of ESEA Title I Parents - $5,000

National Coalition on Black Civic Participation - $15,000

National Conference of State Legislatures - $64,043

National Congress of American Indians - $10,000

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education - $381,576

National Council of La Raza - $26,500

National Forum on Information Literacy - $5,000

National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts - $10,000

National Indian Education Association - $50,000

National Latino Children's Institute - $15,000

National Popular Vote - $5,000

National Public Pension Coalition - $90,375

National Staff Development Council - $25,000

National Urban League - $33,700

National Women's Law Center - $10,000

Netroots Nation - $15,000

New Democratic Network - $25,000

New Organizing Institute - $65,000

New Teacher Center - $325,000

No on 1033 - $328,600

Organizations Concerned About Rural Education - $5,000

Organization of Chinese Americans - $5,000

Partnership for 21st Century Skills - $61,350

People for the American Way - $64,538

Plan!t Now - $25,000

Progress Now - $60,000

Progress Ohio - $50,000

Project New West - $185,000

Protect Colorado's Communities - $25,000

Rainbow PUSH Coalition - $5,000

Rebuild America's Schools - $10,000

Republican Main Street Partnership - $25,000

Ripon Society - $10,000

Robert Russa Moton Museum - $50,000

Roosevelt Institute - $5,000

San Diego Public Library Foundation - $5,000

Stop the Gag Law - $350,000

Task Force Foundation - $5,000

Trans Afro Group of Companies - $7,600

Tribal Education Departments National Assembly - $5,000

United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - $30,000

U.S. Action - $70,000

U.S. Global Leadership Coalition - $35,000

U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute - $26,447

Vote Yes for Oregon - $200,000

Voter Activation Network - $9,500

WAND Education Fund - $15,000

Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation - $166,666

Washington Families Standing Together - $15,000

Wellesley Centers for Women - $6,151

Wellstone Action! - $47,532

Will Steger Foundation - $15,000

Win Minnesota Political Action Fund - $50,000

Women's Campaign Forum - $10,000

Yes on 100 - $50,000

Yes on 24 - The Tax Fairness Act - $2,125,000

Do you think this is a wise use of membership dues?
Comment below.
Originally posted by Alix at AAE.

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