One Win for Freedom of Choice

Warner Todd Huston* | February 21, 2008

Filed Under General Politics, Uncategorized

-By Warner Todd Huston

Today, we get a little good news for a change. A teacher in the Vancouver Public School district in Vancouver, Washington has won the right in court to distribute her union dues to a charity instead of wasting them by being forced to pay them to the union.

Wiggs, a teacher at Jason Lee Middle School, has been embroiled in a two-year dispute with the teachers union about where to direct her dues. Two years ago, Wiggs withdrew from the union as a religious objector.

“They were taking political stands that I cannot support, considering my faith,” Wiggs, a Christian, said in March. “They were coming out in favor of abortion and homosexual rights. I didn’t want to support them with my dues.”

So, the law in Washington State says that a union objector may submit their dues to a charity. So, what the heck is she in court for? Well here is where the typically ignorant, meddlesome, non-democratic unions indulged in their typical nonsense.

State law requires that religious objectors continue to carve out money from their paychecks to put toward a charity. But Wiggs and the union have disagreed on which one.

Wiggs’ chosen nonprofit is the Vancouver-based Shared Hope International, which targets international sex trafficking. The organization isn’t religious and was founded by former U.S. Rep. Linda Smith, a Republican from Vancouver.

The union would prefer that Wiggs choose the YWCA or the Vancouver School District Foundation.

Yes, you read that right. These union thugs were even trying to force the teacher to chose the charity THEY wanted her dues given to!

What incredible gall!

In any case, the teacher won. Naturally, the union thugs are going to appeal. Still, this is a win for th good guys.

Contributor's website: http://thenma.org/blogs/index.php/huston

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