A Lesson in School Politics

Looks like it was a one-two punch for Florida teacher Shawn Beightol.

The chemistry teacher, who works at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in Miami, sent an e-mail criticizing his school for cutting into class time with a pep rally (really, whatever happened to prioritizing education?).

School officials said Beightol could be suspended or fired for his e-mail, but the Miami-Dade school board wouldn't allow his representative to attend a hearing on the incident. That's because the board's contract with United Teachers of Dade requires Beightol to be represented by the union.

But wait: The union won't represent him either, because he isn't a member.

Ouch. Now, Beightol has filed charges against both the board and the union for unfair labor practices. He's got the Professional Educators Network of Florida, a teacher-advocacy group, and the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation behind him.

Robert J. Boyd, chairman and general counsel of PEN, says both the board and the union have violated Beightol's rights under the U.S. Constitution and Florida's Right to Work law.

Patrick Semmens, legal information director for the foundation, is a bit more blunt.

This policy is nothing more than an underhanded way to force reluctant teachers into union ranks, he said in a news release.

Beightol's charges were filed Wednesday. In the meantime, he's still working at Krop.