{"id":719185,"date":"2026-03-27T11:55:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T08:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-i-am-suing-the-la-teachers-union\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T11:55:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T08:55:11","slug":"why-i-am-suing-the-la-teachers-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-i-am-suing-the-la-teachers-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I am suing the LA teachers&#8217; union"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2496a47412f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2496a47412f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-i-am-suing-the-la-teachers-union\/#%E2%80%9CWhy_I_am_suing_the_LA_teachers_union%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Why I am suing the LA teachers&#8217; union&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhy_I_am_suing_the_LA_teachers_union%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Why I am suing the LA teachers&#8217; union&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<p>I used to pay dues to the teachers union. I believed in it \u2014 fair pay, having someone in your corner, all of it.<\/p>\n<p>I was a member of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) \u2014 which represents teachers in the LA Unified School District (LAUSD) \u2014 for years.<\/p>\n<p>The union I left barely resembles the one I joined.<\/p>\n<p>At some point, UTLA stopped being about teachers. It became something else \u2014 a political movement, an activist organization that has made hatred of Jewish people and Israel a core part of what it does and who it is.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t say that to be dramatic. I say it because I watched it h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>en, and because my grandparents \u2014 who survived what happens when that kind of hatred goes unchecked \u2014 spent their lives warning me about exactly this.<\/p>\n<p>The early signs are always the ones that people wave away. That\u2019s the whole point. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"38908846\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<img style=\"aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"38908846\" width=\"885\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"People rally for LAUSD workers, holding signs for fully funded schools and special education.\" class=\"wp-image-38908846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 3000w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=300,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=768,512&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=1024,683&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=1536,1024&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=2048,1365&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=600,400&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=878,585&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 878w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=744,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 744w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=720,480&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 720w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=576,384&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=457,305&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 457w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=440,293&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=424,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 424w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=389,260&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 389w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=360,240&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 360w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=340,227&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 340w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=320,213&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 320w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=314,209&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 314w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=306,204&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 306w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=280,187&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=260,174&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 260w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=246,164&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 246w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=234,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 234w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=195,130&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 195w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=180,120&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=171,114&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 171w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=160,107&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 160w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=144,96&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 144w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=107,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 107w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=93,62&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 93w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=84,56&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 84w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=60,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 60w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=105,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 105w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=81,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 81w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=200,133&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=231,154&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=322,215&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=662,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 662w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=90,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 90w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=120,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 120w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=1200,800&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=1038,692&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1038w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=87,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 87w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=50,33&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/2026-lausd-teacher-service-worker-123953840.jpg?resize=150,100&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 885px) 100vw, 885px\"\/><figcaption>The United Teachers Los Angeles represents teachers in the LA Unified School District. <span class=\"credit\">CHRIS TORRES\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After the Supreme Court\u2019s 2018 decision in Janus v. AFSCME, public employees like me finally had the legal right to opt out of union membership without penalty.<\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the thing California doesn\u2019t tell you. Leaving the union doesn\u2019t actually get you out from under it.<\/p>\n<p>Under state law, UTLA is still my \u201cexclusive representative\u201d at work. It still speaks for me, negotiates for me, represents me, whether I want that or not.<\/p>\n<p>I have no say in it. The union that spent three-quarters of a million dollars promoting an antisemite is, legally speaking, my voice in the workplace.<\/p>\n<p>Six other Jewish teachers and I sued over that, and the Freedom Foundation supported us.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few of the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freedomfoundation.com\/press-release\/lawsuit-against-united-teachers-of-los-angeles-dismissed-freedom-foundation-to-appeal-to-ninth-circuit\/\">many things UTLA has done<\/a>, as presented in our lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>The union spent $700,000 supporting a school board candidate who <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/fast-forward\/584469\/la-school-board-kahllid-al-alim-antisemitic-posts\/\">pushed antisemitic conspiracy theories<\/a> \u2014 including those publicized by the notorious Louis Farrakhan. (The union <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/teachers-union-drops-support-lausd-040100559.html?guccounter=1\">withdrew its endorsement<\/a> under public scrutiny. The candidate has since apologized for his posts about Farrakhan.)<\/p>\n<p>It endorsed a curriculum called \u201cTeach Palestine\u201d that distorts Jewish history. Its Human Rights Committee has funded members to attend anti-Jewish rallies.<\/p>\n<p>Jewish and Zionist members have been kicked out of the union\u2019s own <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> group.<\/p>\n<p>And UTLA has formally aligned itself with organizations that call for the destruction of Israel. Not criticism of Israeli policy \u2014 destruction of the state.<\/p>\n<p>Our argument isn\u2019t complicated: The First Amendment protects your right to associate with whomever you choose, which means it also protects you from being forced to associate with people you haven\u2019t chosen \u2014 especially an organization with a documented record of hostility toward you and your community.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. District Court dismissed the case. I wasn\u2019t surprised, but I was disappointed.<\/p>\n<p>And I\u2019ll tell you what I told people at the time: I\u2019d be nervous if I were still a UTLA member.<\/p>\n<p>This union keeps escalating. Its leaders just announced an April 14 strike that would leave nearly 400,000 kids without school.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no end in sight, which is why we\u2019re appealing to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and why I think it matters beyond just me and my six colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>There are Jewish public employees all over this country in the same trap. Unions that have made anti-Jewish politics part of their institutional identity are still legally designated as the exclusive representatives of Jewish workers who want nothing to do with them.<\/p>\n<p>The courts have been reluctant, thus far, to say that\u2019s a problem. We\u2019re asking the Ninth Circuit to look at this more carefully \u2014 because if forced association with an organization that openly promotes hatred of your people doesn\u2019t trigger First Amendment protection, it\u2019s hard to know what would.<\/p>\n<p>I just want to teach. But here we are. And I\u2019d rather fight it than look back some day and wish I had. My grandparents didn\u2019t have that choice. I do.<\/p>\n<p><em>Barry Blisten is a former UTLA member and one of seven Jewish teachers who has sued the union over allegations of forced representation.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" >News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/03\/26\/opinion\/why-i-am-suing-the-la-teachers-union\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Why I am suing the LA teachers&#8217; union&#8221; I used to pay dues to the teachers union. I believed in it \u2014 fair pay, having someone in your corner, all of it. I was a member of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) \u2014 which represents teachers in the LA Unified School District (LAUSD) \u2014 for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":719186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/03\/crop-38908846.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[161395,134594,13096,70553,78427,72939],"class_list":["post-719185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-3-26-26","tag-antisemitism","tag-california","tag-los-angeles","tag-strikes","tag-teachers-union"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/719185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=719185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/719185\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/719186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=719185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=719185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=719185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}