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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 1998

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bob Chase, president of the National Education Association (NEA), hailed the defeat of California's Proposition 226 as a victory for working families -- and for children and public education. In Tuesday's primary election, voters rejected -- by a margin of 54-46 -- the measure that would have set government strictures on the way union members' dues are collected and spent. "Proposition 226 was a transparent attempt to take advocates for public education out of the political arena," Chase said. "The public saw it for what it was -- an attempt by proponents of private school tuition vouchers to limit the effectiveness of public education advocates."

Chase said Proposition 226 had nationwide significance as its defeat clearly demonstrated that members of the public, labor, many businesses, and nonprofit organizations will not tolerate deception and efforts to gag the voice of citizens.

"One of the things that is evident from the campaign against Proposition 226 is that there exists a vast and well-funded national network of organizations that are coordinating a campaign to undermine public education and other parts of our social fabric," Chase said. In the process of assisting NEA's California affiliate, the Association's research identified this network, which includes national organizations like the National Taxpayers Union, the Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Claremont Institute, and the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution. "These organizations have a particular agenda, and all of them, either through direct mail or paid media, tried to influence this campaign," Chase said.

Information pulled from the Internet and other public sources shows that this same group of organizations is the architect of similar efforts in 29 states to limit the political participation of working men and women through legislative action. It is the same group that is putting measures similar to 226 on the ballot in Oregon, Colorado, and Nevada. Chase pointed out that the leading contributors to Proposition 226 were among the leading contributors to Proposition 174, California's 1993 voucher initiative.

"This would lead us to expect that the same tactics will be used by the same organizations in future campaigns," Chase said. "These groups are intent upon forcing their agenda on the country, and apparently they believe their first step is to eliminate the ability of unions to speak out on behalf of the views of the average American."

"Fortunately, Californians were able to see what was really behind this initiative," he said. "The more people knew, the more likely they were to say no." Referring to the dramatic shift in voter opinion on Proposition 226 in recent weeks, Chase said, "You don't get a 30 percent change in attitudes because you spent money on a campaign; you get it because you're right. We are proud to be part of a free, democratic society. We in the NEA believe that everyone is free to express an opinion. And we do not believe in gagging a voice just because one doesn't agree with that opinion."