Paying Your Dues

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Teachers and other school employees who voice their disagreement to union membership on religious grounds will be permitted "reasonable accommodation," according to a recent announcement by the National Education Association (NEA). The announcement came on the heels of a ruling earlier this month by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that found the union guilty of harassing and discriminating against teachers who raise spiritual and moral objections to the use of their dues to fund union political efforts. The ruling was a result of charges filed by Ohio teacher Dennis Robey who filed discrimination charges against the union after claiming he was harassed for voicing his objections to the NEA s support of what he called the union s pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality positions and constant attempts to undermine parental rights. In this case, it appears reasonable accommodation means Robey s union dues will go to a politically and religiously neutral charity agreed to by Robey and the union. Stay tuned for what we imagine will be another lengthy negotiation trying to choose that charity.