What legal protection do you need? Protection from what? Black balled by whom, the liberal teachers?
Don't you realize the "few grand" you give them in dues is used primarily to fund those causes you say you are against and you think it is worth it to receive a monthly union rag?
You are just excusing yourself for being in the enemy's camp and keeping quiet about it so as to protect your job. You are not alone and I don't condemn you for it, well not entirely. Many teachers are in the same boat.
I know quite a few union members from all walks of life. All are living a contradiction. They defend their union but vote against all the union stands for. I am happy they do oppose the union politics but defending and opposing at the same time has to be hard on the psyche.
Many years ago, I also once thought that we could fight the NEA and deny them our union dues too. Then I received a call from a local repub official that I knew. She put me in touch with a former Repub teacher who was forced outta teaching by the NEA & her fellow teachers over her refusal to pay union dues. Basically they come after you, set you up, if you become too controversal, better to live your life, vote & support conservative issues. Much better than losing your state teaching certificate and rendering your expensive/valuable teaching degree worthless.
Reality is the ed industry is chock full of left wingers at the top, nobody is going to change that truth. They will blackball you and get you if you become too politically opposed to their view.
Conservative school board members will never support conservative teachers, you’re an easy mark for them. They need to feed the masses too, just like in the old Roman days. Conservatives are half the problem for Conservative Teachers in America, they should support their repub teachers but never do.
Unless you have experienced the politics (as a teacher) you have no way of understanding what I’m speaking about. I actually don’t know all that many people who would jepardize their employment picture over politics in today’s world; contradiction or not; (LETS BE REAL HERE).
In Alaska, I’d say 35% of NEA members are conservatives, Repubs or members of Ak Independence Party.
Bottomline, is conservative teachers need the legal protection the NEA provides and the politics in our ed system is the reason why. Keep your personal beliefs to yourself, vote, donate, stay active away from the school, and survive. Ask any teachers that you know and they will tell you the same truths, no joke. Ya know, the only time I talk politics with fellow teachers is around the fire, when they come up to my moose camp to hunt every fall, ha. Then , we argue.