Virginia Teacher Union Member Accused of Embezzling

Virginia is the perfect state for a teacher who wishes to teach in freedom.  In addition to being a Right to Work state, the Commonwealth also forbids monopoly bargaining for public employees.  Teachers do not have to join a union in order to obtain or keep a job, and teacher union officials cannot corral teachers with unwanted representation claims.

Apparently this does not prevent those teachers who voluntarily become union members from losing their dues dollars to crooked union officials.

While the money has been recovered, the teacher is still employed, although no longer a union employee.  The school board has decided to take no action.

Stephen Igo has the story in the Times News of Kingsport, Tennessee.

Elizabeth Ann Wade, 59, was indicted by the Wise County Grand Jury last week on one count of embezzling money or property belonging to the VEA’s Cumberland Mountain UniServ (District 1) between May 18, 2010 and Oct. 2, 2012.

The indictment charges Wade of misappropriating a little more than $10,000 from the WCEA. Wade served as treasurer of the WCEA from August of 2009 to July 2012 and president of the local teachers union affiliate until November of 2012. Cumberland Mountain UniServ, a district office of the VEA in Lebanon, alerted the Virginia State Police late last year of concerns of possible irregularities in the group’s financial records relating to the WCEA. The case is currently being handled by Lee County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shawn Hines because of a recusal by the Wise County prosecutorial office because of personal acquaintance with Wade.

Wade, of P.O. Box 238, Wise, has been active in WCEA affairs for several years and is well known in the local communities where she lives and works. She is a science teacher at EHS in Coeburn.