being forced to join a union, or to surrender their constitutional rights to speak to an employer regarding an educational issue. Mississippi is a “right-to-work” state which means that you cannot be forced to join a “union-like” organization or forced to pay dues to that organization in order to work in your trade or profession. Does MPE belong to a national group? Yes. As a member of the Coalition of Independent Education Associations (CIEA), MPE networks with independent associations in fourteen other states. MPE and these other independent associations focus on educational issues at the state level. We do not engage in political campaigns or lobby for non-educational or partisan issues. Why are your dues so much less than other groups? MPE is a member organization. We elect officers and board members to oversee the operations and growth of MPE. The board hires an Executive Director to manage the state office on a day- to-day basis. Since MPE is an independent education association, we do not pay dues to or support a national office and staff. In addition, MPE does not contribute toward political campaigns or partisan issues at the state or national level. We focus on educating children. How does MPE lobby for education? MPE’s Executive Director is a registered lobbyist so as to monitor legislation and share our association’s legislative priorities with legislators. We have not made it a practice to try and insert our association into the writing of specific bills. MPE provides valuable legislative updates and information to our members so that they may be educated about legislation under consideration. MPE also empowers our members to become active in contacting their elected policymakers about educational issues of concern.
Does MPE have attorneys on staff to assist me?
PAGE 12 MPE Building Representative Handbook
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