Opinion: Who is the OEA?
Published: May 19th, 2019
The Oklahoma Education Association, a labor union, claims it represents educators. In reality, it is an advocate for far-left causes, including abortion, gun control, and far-left politicians, including Hillary Clinton.
The OEA is an affiliate of the National Education Association. When you join the OEA, you’re automatically joining the NEA. Out of the $466 in OEA dues paid in 2017-2018 (https://www.optouttoday.com/oklahoma-education-association), a full $189 went to Washington, D.C. to the NEA to fund its far-left political agenda. NEA membership is “unified,” meaning one is not allowed to be a member of just the OEA without also joining and funding the NEA.
The OEA’s web site links directly to the NEA’s “Legislative Action Center,” where OEA members are urged (https://www.optouttoday.com/oklahoma-education-association to contact the U.S. Senate in support of the “Background Check Expansion Act,” a major gun-control measure that the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action has noted (https://www.nraila.org/articles/20190222/what-lurks-behind-universal-background-checks ) will require “a comprehensive national registry of firearms.”
One publication listing 2017–2018 NEA Resolutions includes one resolution that declares, “The National Education Association believes in family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom.” The latter two words are a common euphemism for abortion. NEA chief lobbyist and federal advocacy advisor Randall J. Moody served (https://clmagazine.org/topic/enemies-of-life/a-look-inside-the-nea/) on the Planned Parenthood Action Fund PAC as an original board member and treasurer for three years.
The OEA/NEA endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, bragging that the union “proudly” (http://www.nea.org/home/67176.htm) helped Clinton become the Democratic Party’s 2016 presidential nominee and touting its efforts to “organize and engage NEA members”—which includes all OEA members—“to volunteer for Hillary.”
For more information on the OEA’s activities, click here (https://www.ocpathink.org/post/oeas-liberal-stances-escape-many-lawmakers-notice-1) for recent news coverage.
(NOTE: This commentary was sent to CapitolBeatOK.com from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Oklahoma’s largest free-market research organization.)