California Forced Dues Case Hits Skids

Bain v. CTA has been thrown out by a California judge.  The suit sought to allow teachers to belong to a local union, but not be forced to pay dues for politics against their will.  The suit does not address teachers’ right to represent themselves before their employer however they wish, not addressing exclusive representation, or the fact of teacher union membership at all, but is a step in  the right direction, seeking to weaken teacher union officials’ powers to compel dues for political activity.  StudentsFirst.org, founded by former DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee,
seeks to put students’ needs first on the education scene.  Howard Blume has the story in the Los Angeles Times.

Federal judge in Los Angeles has dismissed a lawsuit that, if successful, would have hindered the ability of teachers unions to raise money to engage in political activity.

The suit, Bain vs. California Teachers Assn., was filed in April by four teachers with support from the group StudentsFirst and a legal team from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.