The teachers and their unions have long been a force in American politics. From 1991 to 1999, for example, contributions to the Democratic Party from the NEA, AFT, and the Service Employees International Union, which includes some education workers, totaled $6.7 million, making teachers by far the party's biggest donor bloc, according to the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity. The largest single contributor to Democrats - the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees - gave $3.7 million in that period.
''There's no question that groups donating millions of dollars like the teachers unions have special access and are able to reach in and affect public policy in ways that others are not able to do, and that's not acceptable,'' said Peter Eisner, the center's managing director.
...The NEA, with its 2.5 million members, is planning to spend millions this year on the campaign. Jack Pacheco, the union's political director, said the NEA will raise $6.5 million to $7.5 million for its political action committee to donate funds to the Democratic Party and individual candidates. The PAC money comes from voluntary donations from NEA members, not union dues, Pacheco said.
Politics has long been a central concern of the NEA.
According to a 1992-93 NEA record of its spending obtained by the Globe, the organization spent 10 times as much of its budget on political activity ($34.7 million) as on ensuring excellence in public education ($3.3 million) or improving professional standards and working conditions for all education employees ($3 million).
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a393989205be6.htm