The delightfully, annoyingly persistent Rebecca Friedrichs

By Larry Sand
11/20/2018
In Standing Up to Goliath: Battling State and National Teachers’ Unions for the Heart and Soul of Our Kids and Country, teacher, wife, mother, devout Christian and Supreme Court plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs (David) has written an informative, enjoyable and, at times, infuriating book in which she weaves revelations about her humble roots, marriages, problems with...

TAGS: Antonin Scalia, Janus v. AFSCME, Larry Sand, Rebecca Friedrichs, teachers union

Friedrichs v. 2.0? U.S. Supreme Court May Get a Second Chance to Free Teachers from Forced Unionism

By California Policy Center
01/19/2017
For Immediate Release January 19, 2017 California Policy Center Will Swaim, will@calpolicycenter.org (949) 274-1911 In a case that will cheer education reformers, four Pennsylvania teachers today sued their unions, school districts and district officials for making union membership a condition of their employment. The suit – and the likely appointment of a reform-friendly Supreme Court...

TAGS: Abood, Antonin Scalia, California Teachers Association, Friedrichs, Rebecca Friedrichs, Supreme Court

Friedrichs 2.0? Supremes May Get a Second Chance to Free Teachers from Forced Unionism

By Will Swaim
01/19/2017
In a case that will cheer education reformers, four Pennsylvania teachers today sued their unions, school districts and district officials for making union membership a condition of their employment. “Teaching is my calling, but I fundamentally disagree with many teachers’ union stances on personnel and political issues,” said lead plaintiff Gregory J. Hartnett, an art...

TAGS: Abood, Antonin Scalia, California Teachers Association, Friedrichs, Rebecca Friedrichs, Supreme Court

Dear South Side Teacher

By Larry Sand
04/05/2016
An open letter to the idealistic teacher in Chicago who may have defied the teachers union by not striking on April 1st. In a recent newspaper article you said you were “morally and ethically” against the Chicago Teachers Union one-day strike (or “Day of Tantrum,” according to a Chicago Tribune op-ed) last Friday and that...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Antonin Scalia, Association of American Educators, charter school, Chicago Teachers Union, first out, Friedrichs, Larry Sand, last in, LIFO, National Education Association, pension pick-up, Rick Hess, seniority, Supreme Court, teachers union

Biden, Bork, García and Weingarten

By Larry Sand
03/22/2016
Positioning themselves as strict Constitutionalists, teacher union leaders cry foul over a precedent that the unions helped create. In the wake of Antonin Scalia’s untimely passing, two national teacher union leaders are in a self-righteous snit because the Republican-led Senate is remaining firm in its conviction to hold off consideration of a new Supreme Court...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Antonin Scalia, Friedrichs, Joe Biden, Larry Sand, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, National Education Association, Randi Weingarten, Supreme Court, teachers union

The Future of Unions in the Post-Scalia Era

By Edward Ring
02/16/2016
“The ‘Scalia Dividend’ Is a Rare Opportunity for Unions.” – Shaun Richman, In These Times, February 16, 2016 The implications of Antonin Scalia’s sudden and tragic death have already been painstakingly explored by anyone involved in union reform. There’s not much to add. But what members of the labor movement have to say about this new...

TAGS: Antonin Scalia, artificial scarcity, Joel Kotkin

The Coulson Effect on Education

By Larry Sand
02/16/2016
An education free market stalwart leaves us way too soon. On February 7th, Andrew Coulson tragically passed away at age 48 from brain cancer. As Senior Fellow in Education Policy at the Cato Institute, he led the charge for free market reforms in education. An unapologetic capitalist, he believed that the market would inevitably lead...

TAGS: Abood, American Federation of Teachers, Andrew Coulson, Antonin Scalia, Cato Institute, collective bargaining, Eva Moskowitz, free market, Friedrichs, Jason Bedrick, Larry Sand, Michael Lovenheim, Neal McCluskey, Randi Weingarten, teachers union

Bye-bye Abood?

By Larry Sand
01/19/2016
SCOTUS appears to be ready to dump mandatory public employee union dues payments. Last Monday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Friedrichs v California Teachers Association lawsuit. The case centers around whether or not teachers and other public employees should be forced to pay dues to a union as a condition of employment...

TAGS: Abood, American Federation of Teachers, Antonin Scalia, Association of American Educators, Christian Educators Association International, Friedrichs, George Leef, labor peace, Larry Sand, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, National Education Association, Nina Rees, Randi Weingarten, Right to Work, stare decisis, teachers union