First Annual Teacher Freedom Summit Enables Educators to Fight Back Against Teachers’ Unions

[Kamaji]

First Annual Teacher Freedom Summit Enables Educators to Fight Back Against Teachers’ Unions

By Freedom Foundation
July 19, 2023

America’s public school system is in decline. According to the most recent National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP), reading and math scores for public school students have dropped to their lowest level in decades. Eighth-grade history scores are the lowest on record since the NAEP began in 1944.

To make matters worse, all 50 states experienced teacher shortages in at least one subject last year.

Of the public school teachers that remain, 63 percent are considering leaving their profession.

Instead of providing teachers with encouragement and the resources they need to turn public education in the right direction, teachers’ unions like the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have shown time and again their true priority is advancing a radical political agenda rather than the wellbeing of teachers and students.

In 2021, the NEA spent nearly $200 million dollars of membership dues on political activities and donations – 50 percent of the union’s $374 million budget.

Just nine percent was spent on direct assistance to its members.

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To provide public school teachers across the country with the resources and support to combat the overreaching influence of the NEA and AFT, the Freedom Foundation hosted its first annual Teacher Freedom Summit this month in Denver, Colorado. The conference provided an all-expenses paid, three-day training for public school teachers from 26 states, Canada and Australia.

On July 12, 191 teachers arrived at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center for a welcome reception and dinner featuring a virtual appearance from former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who gave teachers a word of encouragement despite the state of public education. The event’s keynote speaker, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters, followed, emphasizing the importance of public education reform and encouraging teachers to replicate strategies from the Oklahoma Department of Education in their own states.

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Source:  https://redstate.com/freedom-foundation/2023/07/19/first-annual-teacher-freedom-summit-enables-educators-to-fight-back-against-teachers-unions-n778529