The NEA doesn’t stand for Nuclear Education Association. And yet, supporting a nuclear freeze is one of many issues backed by the national union that has nothing to do with the betterment of teachers professionally. Its members should have the freedom to choose otherwise.

Some issues supported by the National Education Association (NEA) undoubtedly will receive different reactions from union members. Moreover, these issues often have little to nothing to do with education itself. Below are 10 resolutions passed by the NEA, the national affiliate for the Ohio Education Association, that should raise more than a few eyebrows:

1. urging all nations to work toward disarmament (see page 84),
    
2. urging participation by the United States in deliberations before the International Court of Justice, (see page 85),
    
3. supporting the nuclear freeze (see page 85),
    
4. opining on covert and counterintelligence operations (see page 85),
    
5. promoting statehood for Washington, D.C. (see page 84),
    
6. opposing efforts to legislate English as the official language (see page 95),
    
7. supporting efforts to abate climate change (see page 86),
    
8. supporting “reproductive freedom” (see page 88),
    
9. supporting the mandated use of helmets for bicyclists and motorcyclists (see page 92), and
    
10. urging that no current government employee should be displaced due to efforts that shift people off welfare and toward work (see page 92).

People can have reasonable disagreements about the above-mentioned list. And certainly there will be teacher union members that fall on both sides of those policies. But should all union members really be compelled to support their organization’s stance on those issues, even if they have a deeply felt objection?

That is what National Employee Freedom Week, taking place this August 14-20, is all about. Giving all union members a choice about whether or not to support those causes through their own money irrespective of their own views—on nuclear policy or any other hot-button issue.