Teachers Saving Children® Inc. - National
Newsletter
Volume 17, Number 6
August 2007
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“So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
As I have reflected on the opportunities of this past year, it is with great joy that I write these brief thoughts to you. The Board of Trustees has been very busy with several projects and ideas which will continually put our message out to educators across the nation.
It took three years to complete the video project which is now available in DVD and soon will be on our website. A special thank you to Judy Bruns for writing the script and to Gary Winney for overseeing the entire project. The Board has also spent the past two years discussing ways to revise our publicity brochure into a more positive document. Our website is updated on a bimonthly basis. From the very beginning, the Board made the decision to keep everything “above board” and to become a ministry of excellence and I thank the Lord for a Board who always strives in that direction.
In addition, there have been many opportunities to be a voice for life among our colleagues, locally and across the nation. I am so thankful for the anointing of strength the Lord grants to each one of us to have the confidence to persevere with this message of life. Thank you for your continuous faithful support and prayers for this ministry.
In conclusion, I praise God for allowing me to be used through this ministry opportunity to save the lives of preborn children – His creation and masterpiece. It is only through His anointing upon my life that I am able to fulfill all the responsibilities as Executive Director in addition to my full-time teaching responsibilities. I want to publicly accept the position of Executive Director of Teachers Saving Children® Inc. – National for another year.
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There was an incredible amount of deceit at the local level of our union in getting me to turn in my paperwork. That is another story for another day.
I sent a letter to OEA attached to my unsigned application form in September of 2005, explaining I never had and never would agree to be a part of OEA/NEA. I then had to write a letter, proving my legitimate conscientious objection. I consulted and researched my Roman Catholic teachings, compiling my faith-based objections. OEA decided three months later to turn down my request of accommodation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and instead, gave my money to our local level of the union. With the latter being one of the biggest cheerleaders for OEA/NEA, I filed papers with the State Employment Relations Board for a case review in January of 2006. In May they, too, turned me down. I remember the feeling of panic in knowing what I was to do…give up teaching? My conscience would never allow me to give one penny to pro-abortionists.
My final resort was to speak directly to Linda Fiely, General Counsel for OEA. I tried for weeks to get in touch with her. When I finally did, I pleaded with her to allow my money to go to a charity. I explained that my religion, my faith, and my soul would not allow me to give money to any level of the NEA and that this left me in a position of having to give up my teaching position. She responded that I would have to “change religions” for my desired accommodation. She was the first to inform me that Seventh Day Adventists and Mennonites were the only religions that had historical backing to be exempted from forced union dues. I was confused, but most of all, I was devastated. For the first time since my fight had begun nearly a year before, I felt it was the end of the road.
No one will ever convince me that what occurred 90 minutes later was not the work of God’s hand directly from Heaven. A wonderful gentleman and attorney, Mr. Bruce Cameron, from The National Right to Work Foundation based in Virginia (an organization of which I had never heard) phoned and said some of the paperwork I had filed with OEA/SERB had crossed his desk. He stated that he very, very rarely phoned people out of the blue, but he inquired as to the status of my fight. When I shared with him the phone conversation I had just had with OEA, I am not sure who was more in awe. He told me of my options, and from that hour on, Mr. Cameron led me through all the paperwork of filing anew for a religious accommodation from the union for the upcoming school year. Deciding to take matters to the legal level required no contemplation on my part. On January 22 of this year, Mr. Cameron filed two cases on my behalf in federal court, one against SERB for discriminating against me on the basis of my Catholic faith, and one with EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) against OEA, challenging an attempt by union officials to divert my forced dues to the local union rather than a charity.
Within days OEA was willing to not only grant me my religious accommodation for the current school year, but also for the past 2005-2006 school year. I was elated; my conscience was freed. However, it was a shallow, empty triumph as this accommodation would only be for me. From the beginning my desire was that the victory be for others, also…those who gave up the pursuit of accommodation because they did not have the time, were intimidated by other members, or simply did not yet realize to what immoral causes their union fees were directed.
On June 21, 2007, many, many prayers were answered. U.S. District Judge Gregory Frost struck down the Ohio law that said public employees could not receive a religious accommodation from union dues unless they belonged to certain state-approved religions. The proverbial closed door had been opened. No longer could union fees be diverted to charities to only a select few.
Rather than this being an ending point, I am hoping my work has just begun. I want to help anyone who needs assistance in attaining a religious accommodation from their forced union dues, be it through referral, sharing materials, or support system. God and His Son through the Holy Spirit have always made my mission on this earth quite clear…I am grateful to Them for the wonderful people in my life they have sent along the way in helping me cherish, help, and protect all human life…from my students, to my neighbor, and to the most innocent of all, the unborn. A very special thank-you to The National Right to Work Foundation and, particularly, my own guardian angel, Bruce Cameron. Without his talents, his own moral convictions, and his willingness to help others, this victory would not have been.
Editor’s Note: Carol Katter has taught school for 25 years. She currently teaches Language Arts and Math in the St Marys City School District, St Marys, Ohio. To contact Carol Katter, call 419-738-9513.
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The High Court’s unanimous ruling reversed a nonsensical Washington State Supreme Court decision which determined that the state’s paycheck protection law requiring a union to get a nonunion worker’s permission prior to using his representation fees for politics was an unconstitutional burden on the union’s free speech. This is a great victory for teachers who are forced to pay union representation fees or risk being fired.
The Court stated in no uncertain terms that nonunion teachers’ individual rights are paramount. Justice Scalia noted, in fact, that “Washington State could have gone much further, restricting public-sector agency fees to the portion of union dues devoted to collective bargaining. Indeed, it is uncontested that it would be constitutional for Washington to eliminate agency fees altogether,” clearly signaling the Court’s approval of right to work laws which prohibit compulsory unionism and other less dramatic measures aimed at protecting workers’ rights. The ruling also ensures that the Washington Education Association (WEA) will be held accountable for its past violations of the state’s paycheck protection law.
Unfortunately, this arduous litigation process has not incited union leaders to newfound respect for teacher’s constitutional rights. In fact, the WEA engineered an end run around what appeared as a likely Supreme Court outcome by getting its allies in the Washington State legislature and Governor’s office to pass House Bill 2079, allowing the WEA to co-mingle nonunion teacher representation fees with union dues used for politics. This new law legalizes activity that the paycheck protection law made illegal and nullifies the very protections that were supported by the High Court.
After the triumphant Supreme Court case pointed a hot, national spotlight on the unfairness and abuses of compulsory unionism, the struggle for protection of teachers’ First Amendment rights continues. It is likely that the constitutionality of Washington State HB 2079 will be challenged and teachers and their advocates are considering options to further solidify nonunion employees’ First Amendment protections.
Paycheck protection laws codify reasonable union responsibility to obtain an employee’s permission before using mandatory representation fees for politics, but they have inherent weaknesses that limit their effectiveness as they rely on union leaders to act ethically and keep an accurate accounting of their expenditures. The Supreme Court litigation exposed the willingness of union leaders to go to extraordinary lengths, including breaking the law and lying to members, to squeeze every political dollar they can out of hard-working teachers’ paychecks. Once the funds are in hand, union leaders then help elect mutually self-serving lawmakers who concomitantly disgrace the legitimate union mission of representing workers’ rights.
Methods such as prohibiting compulsory unionism through right to work laws; providing teachers with alternatives to Big Labor through independent nonunion professional associations (such as the Association of American Educators and its affiliates) where teachers can obtain excellent liability protection, legal services, and other professional support at a mere fraction of the cost of Big Labor dues; and supporting representation options such as local-only teacher unions, faculty senates, and other models which do not serve as conduits for Big Labor’s political juggernaut are helping crack the control and oppression that Big Labor extends over America’s teachers. Other creative means should be explored as well, with the goal that students always serve as educators’ highest priority while honoring the rights and dignity of the education professional.
Editor’s Note: Cindy Omlin, a former speech-language pathologist in the Spokane Public Schools, helped found a statewide movement advocating for nonunion teachers’ free speech rights in Washington State. She currently serves as Executive Director of Northwest Professional Educators (www.nwpe.org), an affiliate of the Association of American Educators, which serves teachers in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.
"The National Education Association supports family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom.
The Association urges the government to give high priority to making available all methods of family planning to women and men unable to take advantage of private facilities.
The Association also urges the implementation of community-operated, school-based family planning clinics that will provide intensive counseling by trained personnel.” (1985, 1986).
Ohio: The 2007-2008 officers for the Ohio Affiliate State Chapter are as follows: Connie Bancroft, Executive Director; Gary Winney, Assistant Executive Director; Marianne O’Donnell, Secretary; David Kaiser, Treasurer. Judy Bruns will be serving as the representative to the National Board of Trustees. The next Ohio Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 6, 2007 in Columbus, OH. * tsc-life@juno.com.
Pennsylvania: The 2007-2008 officers for the Pennsylvania Affiliate State Chapter are as follows: Robin Ross, Executive Director; Jeff Remington, Assistant Executive Director; Julie Myers, Secretary; Patty Yamrick, Treasurer. Robin Ross will be serving as the representative to the National Board of Trustees. The next Pennsylvania Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 15, 2007 in Union County, PA. * tscofpa@epix.net.
Note: Both the Michigan and the Pennsylvania State Affiliates are in need of individuals who would be willing to serve on their respective Board of Trustees. Anyone interested in serving, please contact the National Office (330-821-2747).
In early July, renewal information was sent to all current members. We are grateful for those individuals who have already renewed their membership for the 2007-2008 membership year. Thank you! The enclosed membership form is for those individuals who have NOT yet renewed or who have never officially joined Teachers Saving Children®. All members receive a bi-monthly newsletter and other pertinent information throughout the year. Please contact the National Office (330-821-2747) if you have any questions regarding your membership status.
Thank you for your continued support in being “A Voice for LIFE in Education.”
First, a revised Teachers Saving Children® brochure has been included with this newsletter and multiple copies are now available by request. Second, a promotional video on DVD is also available by request. Both of these items can also be reviewed on the website: brochure. [Note: The DVD is not yet uploaded to the website, but will be shortly.]
Please help us spread the word to friends and colleagues. To receive multiple copies of the brochure or a DVD, please contact the National Office at 330-821-2747 or tsc-life@juno.com.
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