Pennsylvania’s teachers unions care about lining their pockets — not about teachers or students

Originally published at Broad + Liberty

Last month, the commonwealth’s largest teachers’ union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), blasted a thank-you to parents and teachers for classroom success in newspapers across Pennsylvania. The statement, while kind on its face, appears carefully calibrated to mitigate the damage caused by the tweet from the PSEA’s national affiliate that said educators “know better than anyone” what students need. 

You don’t need to look to Twitter to see what PSEA really values—you simply need to examine the federal tax filing disclosing their finances for the 2021–22 school year. An analysis of the tax filings by the nonprofit Americans for Fair Treatment (AFFT) makes it clear: The PSEA cares more about amassing political influence and rewarding its executives than the teachers it claims to represent. 

According to AFFT’s analysis, the PSEA spent just “$1 out of every $5 of member dues representing teachers, support staff, and other members. The rest of the membership dues money goes towards running the union, politics, and lobbying.” 

This is not a union investing in helping its members.

Read more at Broad + Liberty