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The NEA through the local teachers union has a tremendous influence in school board elections...who gets the teachers' support (and that frequently means undue influence on the school kids, especially high school) and who gets $$$. Also, with a hammerlock on the 'Rats education positions, the NEA has alot of influence on laws and policies at the state level.
I see that you are from New York. Please be aware that NEA's big influence in the northeast doesn't necessarily extend to all of the states in the union. I'm in Texas. The NEA is not the powerful influence here that it is in NY. I can assure you that here in Texas, for example, teachers do not vote according to the NEA's wishes. The NEA had nothing to do with the selection of our school board or selection of our superintendent. Rank ignorance is the culprit therre.

That's good to hear (at least the NEA part). About 10 years ago, in a suburban town near mine, a local taxpayers rights group got a majority on their school board. The union flunky board head REFUSED to provide them with an itemised breakdown of the school district budget when asked! The next year the anonymous flyers full of lies started showing up in the mailboxes and, worst of all, the teachers brought school board politics into the classroom (all one sided of course). within 2 years or so the revolt was crushed and union backed candidates were back in control$$$.