It is important to distinguish the fact that this money is not from the AFT state or federal political action committee, rather directly comprised of AFT member dues. Despite claims from the union that member dues stay local, the complete list speaks volumes about where member dues are going in this difficult economy.
Among the shocking contributions, financial support was given to groups such as the gay and lesbian organization GLAD, various private churches, and several big labor foundations and policy organizations. The largest single donation went to support California's Proposition 27, a redistricting initiative that ultimately failed. Regardless of your political preferences, the majority of these groups are in no way tied to education.
If you take into account the nearly $19 million the National Education Association spends on their own partisan pet projects, the two largest teacher unions spend a combined $26.8 million of member dues on fueling controversial issues. In real numbers, that's nearly 600 teaching jobs, or over 35,000 text books.
Fed up? 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. No educator should be forced to pay for issues they don't agree with. Join AAE today.
Take a moment to peruse the list for yourself:
Alliance for Ethical International Recruitment Practices - $5,000
Alliance for Retired Americans - $35,000
Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment - $28,233
America Votes - $150,000
American Constitution Society - $5,000
American Friends of the Yitzhak Rabin Center - $10,000
American Labor Studies Center - $5,250
The American Prospect - $100,000
American Rights at Work - $50,000
Annenberg Institute for School Reform - $20,667
A. Philip Randolph Institute - $10,500
Apollo Alliance - $15,000
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance - $5,000
The Black Institute - $25,000
Blue Green Alliance Foundation - $96,408
Bnai Zion Foundation - $7,250
Building a Stronger Ohio - $150,000
California Community Foundation - $18,000
Catholics United - $25,000
Center for American Progress - $25,000
Center for Expansion of Language and Thinking - $20,000
Child Labor Coalition - $5,000
Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Fund - $5,000
Citizen Action of New York - $5,000
Citizens for Strength and Security - $500,000
Citizens for Tax Justice - $15,000
Clergy Strategic Alliances - $96,396
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists - $5,000
Coalition of Labor Union Women - $5,000
Committee for Education Funding - $17,713
Common Cause Education Fund - $5,000
Commonsense Ten - $400,000
Community Labor Coalition for Change Committee - $336,368
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. - $46,000
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - $30,000
Council on Competitiveness - $5,000
Demos - $10,000
Economic Opportunity Institute - $15,000
Economic Policy Institute - $350,000
Economic Research Institute - $5,654
Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate - $250,000
Educators Institute for Human Rights, Rwanda - $10,000
Freedom House - $25,000
Friendship West Baptist Church - $5,000
Gamaliel Foundation - $60,000
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation - $40,000
Good Jobs First - $12,500
Greater Wisconsin Committee - $250,000
Healthy Schools Campaign - $7,500
Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities - $10,000
Hispanic Heritage Foundation - $6,425
The House of the Lord & Church on the Mount, Inc. - $7,500
Imara Soul, Inc. - $5,000
Innovation Ohio - $25,000
International Labor Rights Forum - $12,500
International Rescue Committee - $20,000
James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund - $6,000
Jewish Labor Committee - $8,500
Jobs with Justice - $10,000
Keystone Research Center - $15,000
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement - $5,000
Labor Project for Working Families - $35,000
Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State - $5,000
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights - $50,000
League of United Latin American Citizens - $15,000
Learning Forward - $27,500
Lubavitch Youth Organization - $8,000
Mini Men Mentoring - $7,500
National Action Network - $165,000
National Assembly on School-Based Health Care - $5,000
National Association for Bilingual Education - $10,000
National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund - $5,000
National Black Caucus of State Legislators - $10,100
National Coalition on Black Civic Participation - $12,500
National Coalition on Health Care - $10,000
National Conference of State Legislatures - $22,500
National Consumers League - $7,500
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education - $66,638
National Council on Educating Black Children - $5,000
National Democratic Redistricting Trust - $300,000
National Endowment for Democracy - $12,500
National Jewish Democratic Council - $5,000
National Labor College - $226,427
National Newspaper Publishers Association - $220,973
National Public Pension Coalition - $135,000
National State Teachers of the Year - $25,000
National Urban League - $7,840
Netroots Nation - $27,500
New York Charter Parents Association - $5,000
New York Communities Organizing Fund - $10,000
New York Moves - $6,000
No Limits Foundation - $25,000
Organize Now - $50,000
Our Community Votes - $150,000
Parent Teacher Home Visit Project - $25,000
The Peggy Browning Fund - $8,050
Phi Delta Kappan International - $13,400
Policy Matters Ohio - $37,500
PowerPAC.org - $250,000
Pride at Work - $15,000
Rainbow PUSH Coalition - $75,000
Rebuild America's Schools - $15,000
Reform California - $5,000
Save Our Schools March - $10,000
Schott Foundation for Public Education - $300,000
SHARE - $5,000
Special Olympics Missouri - $60,000
TeamBlue Politics, Inc. - $413,534
Tides Center - $50,000
Tk MaVazi Incorporated - $7,500
The Town Hall - $5,000
United Way of the National Capital Area - $15,000
USAction - $5,000
U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute - $10,000
Wake Youth Program - $5,000
We're Not Going Back - $150,000
Women's Campaign Forum - $5,000
Working America - $170,000
YES on 27 (California) - $1 million
Do you think this is a wise use of membership dues? Comment below. Originally posted by Alix at AAE.
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