2008 California Election Forum

In the past we’ve discussed the unreasonable conflict of interest regarding teachers unions supporting and donating money to the candidates and elected officials who give union members raises and benefits.

Here is a letter from a school board candidate and her thoughts: "I also ran for school board in Vista, CA, and lost by less than 1%, about 300 votes. I am a member of the CTA teachers union and my dues were used against me to pay for my opponent's campaign. The VTA [Vista Teachers Association] union made my life rough. Someone poisoned my dog and called my husband with kidnapping threats if I did not drop out. The last threat came to my daughter's school.

“The teachers union did their internal polls and found that I just may win this election and upset their 14-year control of the board, so they did their best at a last-minute smear campaign, which cost them lots of money (my dues). I have also had three flat tires in the last month due to brads in the tires causing a slow leak.

“My platform was to teach kids to speak, read and write in English, starting with kindergarten.”