School Board Allows Official Time Leave for Union Officials But Not For Legislators

A Missouri school board sanctions union officials to use so-called “official time,” paid leave from their teaching position to conduct official union business. That means taxpayers are footing the bill for union officials while they conduct union business, a privelege not granted to other groups, including teachers who may wish to serve as legislators.

Mike Antonucci has the story in Intercepts:

I don’t have a position on this one way or the other, but the issue has arisen in the Francis Howell School District in Missouri. Newly elected state Rep. Bryan Spencer has been a teacher there for 22 years and asked district officials for an unpaid leave of absence while he serves. The school board turned him down on a 5-2 vote.

Two union officers are on unpaid leave from the district, including Missouri NEA president Chris Guinther, who has received such leaves since 2001. The school board says that’s different, because they continue to interact with the district.

“Where Mr. Spencer will be at, he will not be advocating” for the schools full time, said school board president Marty Hodits.

Sounds like union officials are being given special rights.  Wonder if the school board members were elected with teacher union dues money?