U.S. Supreme Court Hears Pivotal First Amendment Case: Washington v. Washington Education Association

Former Washington Educator and Critic of Union to Discuss Case

Interview Availability: Cindy Omlin

Northwest Professional Educators Executive Director

The Supreme Court case, Washington v. Washington Education Association, to be heard on Wednesday, January 10, is a pivotal case in protecting teachers' First Amendment rights. The case addresses the 1992 Washington paycheck protection law that requires unions to gain permission from their non-members before their money is used for political purposes. The Washington Supreme Court ruled that this law places an undue burden on the union. The U.S. Supreme Court will answer the divisive question of whether the union's First Amendment rights trump the constitutional rights of teachers.

"No one has the right to take our money and spend it on causes we don't believe in," said Cindy Omlin, executive director of Northwest Professional Educators. "In a country that places such a high value on freedom, it is incredible that the constitutional rights of an individual can be so severely violated."

Cindy Omlin Biography

Cindy Omlin is the executive director of Northwest Professional Educators, a non-union, professional educators' organization. Previously Ms. Omlin was a speech-language pathologist in Washington state public schools. She published information about teachers' rights and exposed union expenditures and political activities in a quarterly newsletter, including information which eventually led to the Washington State Attorney General's lawsuit against Washington Education Association for seizing mandatory collective bargaining fees for illegal political spending. (This work led to the current cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.)

Omlin has testified for teachers' rights of free speech and association in regard to union membership at the Washington State Legislature and the United States Congress. She is a former member of Spokesman Review Board of Contributors for editorial columns. A frequent commentator about teachers' rights, Ms. Omlin has extensive experience working with television, radio and print media.

About Northwest Professional Educators

Northwest Professional Educators is a non-union professional educators' organization focused on students as educators' highest priority and improving the professionalism of education. In Washington, public school employees must pay the union a workplace representation fee whether they are members of the union or not. NWPE believes that educators should have the option to pay dues to the union. NWPE is an affiliate of the Association of American Educators.