Did you know that in many Colorado school districts teachers and other employees can opt into union membership and automatic dues payments at any time but that opting out is a much trickier business? It gets even worse: Did you know in a few Colorado school districts non-union teachers and other employees have a brief window of time each year to opt out of paying unwanted fees worth the full amount of union dues? (Congrats if you already knew. You probably saw the video about Colorado teachers unions.)

Especially if these facts are new to you, I invite you to check out a newly-published article by my Education Policy Center friend Ben DeGrow. The September edition of Liberty Ink Journal features his article titled “Hotel California for Colorado Teachers” (on page 15 of the print edition, page 17 of the electronic issue). To find out more about union opt-out processes and periods, including local details, visit our Independent Teachers website.

Seeing Ben’s timely article (September is most frequently the season for these opt-out periods) piqued my interest in the colorful, Colorado-based publication, self-described as follows:

Liberty Ink Journal is dedicated to the restoration of the Republic and our birthright of Liberty. We provide analysis of current events as well as legislative activities at all levels of government, always illuminated by the principles upon which this nation was founded.

The connection is clear enough. Liberty would entail a level playing field and straightforward processes for all teachers and other school employees to choose to join or leave any union or non-union professional membership organization of their choice. A small issue? Perhaps, though big for some affected by it. Try to fix the problem, and see how small it is.