Teachers Union Under Fire for Misuse of Funds: Legal Action Emerges

Teachers Union Under Fire for Misuse of Funds: Legal Action Emerges

As I enter my thirty-third year teaching in public schools, with my thirtieth year anchored in New Jersey, I reflect on my long-standing membership in the New Jersey Education Association, or NJEA, the state’s largest teachers union. Throughout my journey, union representatives assured me that contributions to their political action committee were purely voluntary and separate from regular membership dues. However, recent revelations suggest a different narrative.

This election cycle has unveiled troubling details about the NJEA’s handling of our dues. To my shock, the union quietly redirected over $40 million from our dues into a political action committee without consulting its members or offering any transparency. Such maneuvers raise serious concerns about accountability within the organization.

The Transparency Illusion

An even more troubling aspect of this situation lies in how union funds were deployed. Reports indicate that a significant portion of these contributions supported former NJEA President Sean Spiller’s ill-fated gubernatorial campaign while he continued to serve as union president. Despite overwhelming evidence suggesting Spiller’s lack of viability in the race—culminating in a distant fifth place in the Democratic primary—super PACs aligned with Spiller continued to expend our dues on his campaign.

This troubling misuse of funds unfolded concurrently with Spiller’s full-time role as union president, where he collected a sizable salary and benefits package.

Feeling Betrayed

This revelation left me feeling utterly betrayed. For years, the union’s FAQ section explicitly stated that dues money could not be utilized for partisan political campaigns. Yet, the actions of the NJEA contradict this assertion, leading to a severe breach of trust.

Massive Financial Impact

Over the past twelve years, astonishing amounts—$114 million in teachers’ dues—have funneled into Garden State Forward, a Super PAC managed by the NJEA. This revelation emerged from meticulous examination of state and IRS filings, which document this flow of funds.

In just the past two years, Garden State Forward funneled over $40 million into another Super PAC controlled by union insiders—Working New Jersey—and a now-defunct political group known as Protecting Our Democracy, of which Spiller served as chair. Both organizations diverted our hard-earned dues to bolster Spiller’s gubernatorial ambitions.

The discovery of these PACs came to my attention through media reports during Spiller’s campaign, as political mailers, which I unwittingly funded, began accumulating at my doorstep.

Taking Legal Action

In response to these revelations, I am joining forces with another New Jersey teacher to sue the NJEA, with assistance from the Fairness Center, a nonprofit law firm. Our stance hinges on the belief that union officials misled us regarding the use of our dues, thereby breaching our membership contracts which clearly stated that PAC contributions were voluntary. Moreover, we argue that the NJEA failed in its fiduciary duty, prioritizing the interests of union insiders over those of its members.

Simultaneously, the nonprofit New Jersey Policy Institute has notified the IRS and the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission about potential misconduct relating to the NJEA’s political expenditures.

Allegations of Misconduct

There are serious allegations that the NJEA neglected to report its multimillion-dollar donations to the Garden State Forward PAC as political activities, potentially circumventing tax regulations. The request for an official inquiry also questions whether the union avoided New Jersey’s direct donation cap of $5,800 per candidate during the gubernatorial race, using affiliated groups to exceed this legal limit for Spiller’s campaign.

When confronted about my lawsuit and these concerns, a union spokesperson provided a vague response that emphasized the notion of representative democracy and the power of our members to unite.

In fairness, Steve Baker, the NJEA spokesperson, elaborated, stating, “The NJEA is a member-led union that operates as a representative democracy. Our members’ decisions about which candidates to endorse and what resources to use in support of those endorsed candidates are made by elected bodies. We will uphold our members’ right to come together in solidarity to advocate for our profession and our students.”

The Need for True Accountability

While I appreciate the union’s desire to foster democratic principles, genuine democracy demands complete transparency and accountability. The NJEA’s actions resemble more of a deceptive game designed to mislead its members while insiders lavishly support lost political causes.

What makes NJEA officials believe they can conduct themselves unchallenged? It appears they’ve adopted a strategy of obscuring the truth from teachers, cultivating a pervasive atmosphere of disrespect, fear, and intimidation among their ranks.

Does this resemble a healthy democratic environment to you?

My co-plaintiff and I firmly believe that the NJEA’s enormous spending spree using our dues has violated both its contract with teachers and its legal obligation to represent our best interests. Through our legal efforts, we aim to compel the union to honor the voices of teachers and refocus its efforts on negotiating fair contracts and ensuring high workplace standards—fundamental reasons I joined the union over thirty years ago.