By Kyle Stokes
(From StateImpact Indiana, September 24th, 2012)
The last time officials from the Indiana State Teachers Association gave as much money to a candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction as they have this year, they gave it to a Republican.
In 2000, the political arm of the state’s largest teachers union — traditionally a contributor to Democratic campaigns — gave $100,000 to longtime GOP state superintendent Suellen Reed’s re-election bid.
A lot has changed since 2000, when unions could negotiate teacher contracts with relatively few restrictions. A state law passed in 2011 now forbids them from collectively bargaining anything other than pay and benefits with districts.
Hamstrung in their ability to influence policy at a local bargaining table, unions are in dire need of more sympathy from the state’s highest political offices. So this year, teachers unions are doubling down on their political contributions to Democrats on the top of the November ballot.
Teachers unions have long been political players and they’ve donated reliably and overwhelmingly to Democratic campaigns (with some exceptions). But this year, the ISTA is contributing to Democrats running for statewide office at an unprecedented level.
The Indiana State Teachers Association’s $250,000 in contributions to Democrat John Gregg is the largest amount the union has ever given to a candidate for governor.
Read the full post here.