Week in Review: Union Members Only? Nope.

When people apply for government jobs, they should be judged on their merits and their ability to do the work. But that’s not how it works at the University of Rhode Island—the university gives local union members a leg up in the hiring process. That’s unconstitutional, so the Goldwater Institute sued the university this week to challenge its illegal policy.

As part of its collective bargaining agreement with the National Education Association Rhode Island, the university gives union members “preferential consideration” for employment. In fact, non-union members will only be considered for a position if it is “not filled by a current union member,” the agreement states. But conditioning employment on union membership—which is often a political association—restricts an individual’s First Amendment right to choose not to associate with a union.

The University of Rhode Island must follow the law. The Goldwater Institute, with the help of our American Freedom Network of volunteer attorneys, is ensuring they do.

Read more here.

Fighting for Government Transparency at the Arizona Supreme Court 

When the government negotiates with labor unions, it’s supposed to be on the public’s behalf. But city of Phoenix leaders are intentionally keeping the public in the dark about their union negotiations. That’s why the Goldwater Institute is heading back to the Arizona Supreme Court to argue in favor of government transparency.

Goldwater lawyers will appear before the Arizona Supreme Court on Monday and urge the justices to compel the city to comply with Arizona’s Public Records Law and release records exchanged during its union negotiations. Awkwardly, the city claims that hiding the records from the public is somehow in the public’s best interest. Yet, city leaders have never explained how releasing the records would harm the public, only saying that disclosing the documents “may result” in the “politicization” of union negotiations.

This will be the Goldwater Institute’s fourteenth time arguing before its home state’s highest court. As always, Goldwater will fight for open and transparent government in Arizona and around the country.

Read more here.

Indoctrination at Michigan State University  

Another week, another public university indoctrinating students with leftwing ideology. This time it’s Michigan State University, where education majors are forced to take a course where they’re taught that “whiteness” is destructive and contrary to equality.

The course, TE 101: Social Foundations of Justice and Equity in Education, uses frameworks from the Black Lives Matter movement, Learning for Justice, and the Abolitionist Teaching Network to instruct impressionable students on “systemic oppression,” “racial privilege” and the many problems with “whiteness.” Students are not expected to question these ideas, but affirm them.

This latest revelation underscores the importance of the Goldwater Institute’s Freedom from Indoctrination Act, which aims to restore neutrality and ensure that universities serve the public, not a political ideology. Through its reforms, Goldwater aims to protect the academic freedom of every student and professor, not just those who echo the prevailing orthodoxy.

Read more here.