Once-a-year opportunity for teachers to evaluate union relationship now open
It’s one of the busiest times of the year for teachers — back to school! It’s also the only annual opportunity educators get to evaluate their relationship with the teachers’ union and decide if union membership is right for them.
From now until Sept. 30, Minnesota teachers can exercise their right to opt-out of the union, as financially supporting Education Minnesota and its local and national affiliates is no longer required in order to keep teaching. (Visit here to learn more.)
Union membership is a personal decision, and for a variety of reasons, Minnesota educators all across the state are saying no thanks to what the union is prioritizing.
This presents an opportunity for Education Minnesota to set aside its far-ranging political activism and focus on supporting the professional needs of teachers. The time, effort, and money spent on political battles “cannot also be used to support teachers in educating students,” writes Nathaniel Grossman of the Fordham Institute.
When unions combat climate change, they ignore the chronic absenteeism that has plagued schools since the pandemic began. When they attempt to resolve the Israeli-Palestine conflict, they lose sight of the scope of learning loss that needs to be overcome before students are college and career ready.
You can’t take on everything without ending up doing many things poorly, Grossman continues.
“It’s a zero-sum game, and every bit of energy that’s dedicated to these extracurricular projects is taken away from the primary mission of supporting teachers in their day-to-day professions.”
Minnesota educators, learn more about your options regarding union membership by visiting EducatedTeachersMN.com and tuning in this Saturday, Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Here is a sneak peek at some of what will be discussed during Saturday’s virtual webinar:
- Understanding your rights regarding union membership
- Is the union the only one that provides liability coverage?
- Does union membership impact seniority or tenure?
- Does union membership impact my pension?
- The truth behind the misleading “freeloader” claims