(Opinions by our guest columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of NJER.)
Courageous Montville teacher Mark Mansour made an inspiring and impassioned plea to his fellow teachers at a rally in Trenton, right across from the NJEA’s sparkling $15 million headquarters – paid for by New Jersey teachers’ highest-in-the-nation dues. (Video below.)
Mansour’s message: New Jersey teachers can leave the NJEA now and stop paying $1,500 every year to an organization that does not represent your interests.
New Jersey teachers must remember that their $1,500 in dues pay for six-figure salaries for NJEA execs as well as their gold-plated pensions worth five times teachers’ pensions and are 137% funded versus teachers’ pensions at 29% funded (that means there’s only 29 cents set aside to pay every dollar you are owed). The NJEA and NEA take $1,275 of your dues to push ideas like Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project. And, if you don’t like Governor Murphy’s vaccine mandate, you should know that the NJEA “strongly” supports it. Meanwhile only $180 go to your local association. As Mansour says, you do not have to put up with this.
You were essentially forced to join the NJEA and have your $1,500 in dues withheld from your paycheck, but you can choose to stop paying dues and keep the $1,500 for yourself – every year for the rest of your teaching career.
If your hiring date anniversary is September 1, YOU HAVE TO FILE WRITTEN NOTICE WITH YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE 10 DAYS AFTER SEPTEMBER 1 AND TELL THEM TO REVOKE YOUR AUTHORIZATION FOR YOUR DUES TO BE WITHHELD FROM YOUR PAYCHECK.
As Mansour says, if you have questions about your rights or alternatives to the NJEA, you can contact the Association of American Educators. Find out about liability insurance for less than $200 a year and other services they can provide you for a fraction of your current dues – without being forced to support ideas you do not believe in.
Under the US Constitution, New Jersey teachers have the First Amendment right NOT to belong to the NJEA. You have a real choice. Use it!
(Top photo courtesy of TapInto.)
