ORLANDO, Fla. – In the name of “holding sacrosanct the democratic rights of its members,” the American Federation of Teachers removed from office the duly elected officers and representatives of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association (OCCTA) and placed a national administrator in sole charge.

The move was not entirely unexpected. Last February, AFT sent a monitor to the local to oversee operations.

In an e-mail to OCCTA members, AFT president Randi Weingarten specifically named OCCTA president Diana Moore as the cause of “repeated and deliberate anti-democratic violations of local bylaws and governance policies,” particularly those “to protect against the concentration of power in any one individual.”

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AFT appointed Dennis Kelly, vice president of the United Educators of San Francisco, as administrator.

Moore told WFTV in Orlando her due process rights were violated.

“As a dues-paying union member, I was not afforded the opportunity to have representation all throughout this matter,” she said. “What I have tried to do is preserve the rights and due process of all members of Orange County Classroom Teachers Association. I’m shocked that the national union does not honor a paying union member’s rights to due process. Our members in Orange County are quite happy with their union. NEA has remained silent despite reaching out for support. This is all about members and money. They’re losing members and money in the national organization. It’s politics at its worst.”

Originally published here

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