(NPRI) – Las Vegas, NV – Over 800 teachers have left the Clark County Education Association since February 2012, according to information NPRI has obtained from the Clark County School District. In February 2012, 11,406 CCSD teachers were listed as CCEA members. Currently, only 10,590 teachers are CCEA members, a decrease of 816 teachers. With 17,102 teachers currently employed by CCSD, less than 62 percent of CCSD teachers are members of the CCEA.
Responding to this news, Victor Joecks, NPRI’s communications director, released the following comments.
These numbers show why CCEA officials try to make it as difficult as possible for teachers to opt out of the union. Hundreds of teachers chose to exit the CCEA this year when reminded they could do so by submitting written notice between July 1 to July 15.
While each teacher has his or her own reason for leaving, hundreds of teachers were repulsed by a CCEA union boss making over $600,000 in 2009. Others wanted to save over $750 a year. Still others believe the union provides terrible service for its members. Whatever the reason, NPRI is proud to have played a part in empowering teachers to make the decision that’s best for them by letting them know about the limited drop period.
According to the district, union membership exceeded 13,000 in 2007. Today it is under 10,600. Clearly, thousands of teachers have decided that the alternatives to the CCEA are better for them and their families. Nevada’s Legislature should eliminate the restrictive drop periods union officials insert into collective-bargaining contracts to keep teachers captive.
Union bosses have a secret: They don’t respect teachers enough to let teachers freely decide on membership. Numerous teachers have told NPRI that they wanted to leave CCEA but didn’t find out about the drop period until after summer vacation was over. Sadly, those teachers must wait until July 1, 2013, to opt out of CCEA.
While NPRI’s information campaign reached thousands of teachers, there were still many we weren’t able to contact soon enough. This year we will do everything we can to empower every teacher — in every county — with the knowledge allowing them to make the decision best for them.
Joecks also noted that alternative educator associations, like the Association of American Educators offer teachers better insurance and legal protection than CCEA at a fraction of the cost.
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