Posts tagged Maryland State Education Association
GIVING CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE: PRIVATE SECTOR UNION TAKES STAND AGAINST THEFT
December 5, 2023 // Take, for example, the Delaware Education Association (DSEA) and the Connecticut Education Association (CEA). In Delaware – you remember, the home state of the current president of the United States, who vowed to make his the most “union-friendly administration you ever saw” – the DSEA spent a staggering $202,098 on travel in 2022. These figures are not just numbers; they are reflections of the union leaders’ priorities, which seem misaligned with the pressing needs of educators and students. Meanwhile, in Connecticut, the CEA’s spending on conferences and meetings amounted to $272,579 in the same year. It’s not only the travel that should draw criticism but also the high-paid officers many of these unions employ. The Connecticut Education Association, for example, compensated no fewer than eight of its officers over $300,000 a year.
Maryland Teachers Union employees earn $181,000 on average
November 19, 2023 // According to MSEA’s federal filing, at least 11 employees earned more than $200,000 in total compensation last year. Kristy Anderson, the general counsel, earned $285,962. Executive Director Sean Johnson earned $276,892. Assistant Executive Director Cathy Perry earned $259,210. Project Baltimore found that MSEA collected $26.5 million in revenue last year, the highest amount on record. Of that $26.5 million, $16.9 million went towards “salaries, other compensation, employee benefits” for the unions 93 employees. If $16.9 million went to 93 employees, that means on average, union employees earned $181,720 in total compensation. Keep in mind, MSEA is a tax-exempt nonprofit with a specific mission to elevate public education.
The Largest Teachers Union Embezzlements of All Time
February 8, 2023 // Denise Inez Owens was the treasurer of the Worcester County Teachers Association when she stole more than $433,000 of state and national dues money to feed her gambling addiction. The Maryland State Education Association discovered the theft in March 2009, but did not report it to authorities. Instead the union persuaded Owens to sign a confession and agree to a restitution plan. Owens then resigned her union position and returned to work as a middle school teacher without notifying the school district or union members of her crime. A newspaper discovered the incident three years later when the state union filed an insurance claim for its losses, and stated the theft was “not reported because of potential impact on membership and loss of members.”