The National Education Association, one of two powerful teachers’ unions in America, is running an active political effort to stop school choice in Nebraska.
Using the innocuous name of “Support Our Schools Nebraska,” the NEA is working to force a referendum to end Nebraska’s school choice program called the Opportunity Scholarships Act. The program allots $25 million every year in tax credits, which individuals or organizations can use to “donate to nonprofit scholarship organizations.” Then, these organizations distribute these donations to low-income families to send their children to private schools.
The Washington Free Beacon noted how the teachers’ union funds the anti-school choice politicking, where the NEA sent $800,000 to Support Our Schools Nebraska (or about 80% of the group’s total funding).
The Nebraska affiliate for the NEA also sent $60,000 to the group, which group is headed by an NEA leader named Tim Royers. Royers is the president of a local union affiliate.
Ultimately, it isn’t rocket science to understand that teachers’ unions are opposed to school choice because it presents meaningful competition in education.
