Earlier this week, a friend passed along a document recently published by the MEA called "Education Action Group Tool Kit," a booklet with background information on EAG's Kyle Olson and legal counsel, financial data (humorously, obtained from our website), news articles with interesting MEA staff analysis, and possible theories for our existance.

"EAG works to reduce union influence in all things educational, laying the groundwork for a Right to Work ballot proposal."  Look out, the black helicopters are hovering over Kendale Boulevard!

The very fact that the MEA would devote such resources to covering the "Education Action Guy" must mean they're pretty nervous.

Rightly so.  But it doesn't have to do with us.  It has to do with the fact that school districts need to spend their money more efficiently and they're realizing the MEA's overreach--into health insurance and blocking privatization--costs school districts a lot of money.

The MEA costs school districts a lot of money.

In reviewing the MEA's publication, we, frankly, found it unbecoming of an organization that purports to represent professionals.  For the record, we do believe teachers are professionals.  But this document is tacky and reads like it could come from the UAW or the Teamsters.

The MEA continues to howl about our supporters.  On page 2, in a section called "The Lies and the Truth," they claim EAG "is funded by Republicans."  Yet, in the next bullet, they say, "EAG steadfastly refuses to reveal any of its funders."  We'd invite the MEA to provide some proof please and we'll be happy to give it plenty of exposure.

Another interesting item, which must mean the MEA is still stinging over the school health insurance reform the legislature passed back in 2007, is they speculate House Speaker Andy Dillon, a Democrat, really is a Republican.  On Page 36, of a Legislative Leadership Award we gave to Sen. Wayne Kuipers and Dillon, they say, "Andy Dillion's rise has always been accompanied with charges that he was a closet Republic running in a Democratic district.  This award may end that debate..."

The comment shows how blindly partisan the MEA really is in calling Dillon's credibility into question.

And EAG is blindly partisan...because we gave an award to House Speaker Andy Dillon.

The document also has some talking points for letters to the editor and when reporters call the diehard MEA apologists.  They write on page 44, "It's usual MO is to attack any support, financial or otherwise, an MEA member makes to a school board candidate, and to paint that candidate as an MEA stooge."

Stooge?  Even we wouldn't use that word--it's interesting the MEA does.  We don't attack support from teachers as individuals.  We think the MEA's PAC gives their school board candidates a significant advantage.  We don't think it's illegal--but voters need to question what the MEA is hoping to get in return for that support.  Additionally, we're working with many school board members now that were once supported by the MEA and have come to realize the bully tactics of the union and their overreach into things that waste money and don't have anything to do with educating kids.

We appreciate the MEA's knocking knees over little ole Education Action Guy because it tells us our work to reform school spending is gaining traction.