America doesn’t have a teacher-pay problem because taxpayers aren’t paying enough. The real problem is that powerful teachers unions divert enormous sums of educators’ dues into partisan politics instead of putting that money back in teachers’ pockets.
A recent report from Defending Education found that the nation’s two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, have directed about $669 million to political causes, PACs, and advocacy groups since 2015. When spending by state and local affiliates is included, the total exceeds $1 billion over the past decade.
That is money collected from teachers.
And it isn’t just campaign contributions. Union leaders have poured millions into political advocacy groups, ballot initiative campaigns, and partisan organizations. It’s all money that could instead support the educators who actually show up in classrooms every day.
Teachers often spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of their own pockets on classroom supplies. Meanwhile, union leaders are funding political machines.
Imagine if even a portion of that money went back to educators.
One billion dollars could fund meaningful raises, classroom stipends, or bonuses for teachers across the country, without asking taxpayers for a single additional dime.
At Americans for Fair Treatment, we believe teachers should control how their money is used. That means protecting educators’ constitutional rights to opt out of union membership and ensuring full transparency about how dues are spent.
Teachers deserve representation that prioritizes their profession, not a political agenda.
If union leaders truly want to prove they care about teacher pay, the solution is simple:
Stop the political spending spree.
Return the money to teachers.
Return the money to teachers.