“(unbeknownst to me five members of my church’s council were unionized public school teachers)”
They don’t require council members to be Christians?
You can’t be a NEA member and be a Christian. It is that simple.
I attend a Catholic church. In Pittsburgh the Catholic Church and the unions are joined together at the wrists and ankles. Likely a few other body parts too. Some of the biggest figures in local organized labor history were Catholic priests.
You’d be surprised how little the NEA affects teachers.