Stenhouse National Column: Barrington Vax Settlement Exposes Teachers Union Corruption
Teachers unions across America have defended members from termination for virtually every imaginable kind of misconduct.
The unions defended teachers for illegal marijuana use and intoxication on the job. They defended teachers who stole money, had excessive absences, or otherwise abused their position.
They defended teachers who had pornographic materials in the classroom. They defended incompetent teachers who failed to produce positive student achievement.
And in Rhode Island, the teachers unions vigorously defended one teacher who engaged in inappropriate touching and language with his female students. They appealed his firing all the way to the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
As one of the primary purposes to justify the paying of dues, teachers unions promote themselves as fighting to protect the jobs of teachers and rarely ever backing down when it comes to the dismissal of one of their members.
But unions are criticized routinely for defending bad employees, regardless of the cost, and often seeking alternate accommodations or filing their own grievance, no matter the gravity of the sin.
However, teachers unions cannot tolerate one sin, and they’re willing to break the law in order to virtue signal.
That mortal sin?
Exercising one’s religious freedom by choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Oh, the horror.
In early 2022, in the small town of Barrington, Rhode Island, three teachers were fired for this unforgivable sin. Throughout the long ordeal that followed, the teachers nobly stuck to their principles and stood their ground.
Last month, they emerged from their battle with a rare major legal victory and complete vindication, when their lawsuit against Barrington Public Schools was settled. The settlement included payment of all back salaries, significant compensatory damages, and attorney’s fees.
