President Trump’s Secretary of Education, billionaire Linda McMahon, released a video on social media (below), in which she told teachers across the country that they don’t have to pay union dues in order to keep their jobs.
McMahon cited a 2018 Supreme Court decision “that ruled that public employees, including teachers, cannot be required to join or pay a union as a condition of employment.” McMahon added: “No employee should feel obligated to hand over their salary to a union that is bankrolling political causes with their hard-earned paycheck.”
Teachers shouldn’t be forced to bankroll political agendas.
Union dues are optional—nationwide. pic.twitter.com/AQqII6ekeo
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) February 10, 2026
McMahon refers to JANUS v. AFSCME., in which the SCOTUS “overturned the 40-plus-year-old unanimous decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education to render fair share fees unconstitutional,” as the American Bar Association describes the impactful 5-4 decision. The ruling eliminated what are known as “fair share fees” — fees charged by unions to nonmembers who benefit from the union’s collective bargaining and contract arrangements.
Deriding the practice, Justice Alito opined that it resulted in public employees being “forced to subsidize a union, even if they choose not to join and strongly object to the positions the union takes in collective bargaining and related activities.” The fees were found by the conservative justices to violate the free speech rights of non-union employees who paid dues.]
According to the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), approximately 70% of U.S. public school teachers belong to a union or an employee association which represents school teachers, staff, and retirees.
Note: Both AFT and NEA have repeatedly opposed the Trump administration on a variety of fronts, from its plan to shutter the Department of Education to the presence of ICE and DHS agents at schools.
NEA wrote on Monday: “ICE and DHS agents must withdraw from our communities. Sensitive locations like schools and bus stops must be protected from ICE and other federal agents. Warrantless operations must end immediately. DHS agencies must fully cooperate in local and state investigations into shootings by agents.”
Union membership is high among public school teachers, who must compete against other interests for a share of public sector spending. Regarding the “hard-earned paychecks” of American teachers, Arizona Education Association President Marisol Garcia (see below) recently testified before the U.S. Senate, telling Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) about teachers salaries in Arizona, and how low teacher pay is hindering the profession’s ability to attract first year college graduates while also driving career educators out of the classroom due to personal financial strains.
Garcia said her salary, as a first year teacher 25 years ago was $36,000. “The average new teacher salary in Arizona, now, 25 years later, is $43,000.”
WATCH: On Wednesday, AEA President Marisol Garcia took Arizona’s education crisis to the U.S. Senate — exposing the state’s neglect of public schools and the low pay driving educators out of the classroom.
— Arizona Education Association (@arizonaea.bsky.social) January 29, 2026 at 9:06 PM