School board member’s explosive lawsuit claims teachers union lied about funneling money to political groups
EXCLUSIVE: A union watchdog organization has filed a lawsuit in tandem with a Utah teacher alleging that the Utah Education Association (UEA) falsely claimed on multiple occasions that members' dues are not used to fund political activities.
The UEA is the state affiliate of America's largest teachers union, the National Education Association (NEA). Cole Kelley, a 29-year teacher and Republican member of the Utah State Board of Education, is a co-plaintiff, along with the Freedom Foundation, which says it works to liberate public employees from political exploitation via various means, including litigation.
The lawsuit, filed in Utah’s 3rd District Court, alleges that the UEA made false statements on its website and social media claiming that "UEA member dues are never used for political activities."
Freedom Foundation says in the lawsuit that that statement appeared on the UEA's website, X account and Facebook on or around March 26, 2025. On May 1 of that year, the group says it reached out to the UEA and notified the union that the statement was false and violated the Utah Truth in Advertising Act.
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Days later, according to the suit, the UEA changed the statement to say, "UEA member dues are never used for political parties or candidates." Freedom Foundation says that assertion is also false.
Kelley told Fox News Digital that the lawsuit is meant to expose the truth. Kelley and Freedom Foundation are only seeking $2,000 each in damages.
"I think that it's time for the UEA to tell the teachers in Utah the truth about what they do, what they represent, what they stand for, what they're advocating for," said Kelley, adding that the union's politics are clearly left-leaning.
"And I think it's important for teachers to understand that when you join, your dollars are going towards supporting these political activities," he said.
The lawsuit lists several examples of UEA and NEA "dues-funded" contributions to "Utah political committees." For example, the suit claims that more than $30,000 was given by the UEA to a group called Protect Utah Workers split over four separate contributions in April 2025.
A portion of UEA dues are kicked up to the NEA, and the lawsuit claims that NEA also supports political causes.
Thus, the lawsuit says the UEA's statements were false because, "on information and belief, UEA members pay a single, unified dues rate which is apportioned among a local NEA affiliate, the UEA, and the NEA, which — with UEA’s knowledge — uses its share of UEA members’ dues to support and/or oppose political parties and candidates with millions of dollars in spending each year, with most of the expenditures done through the NEA Advocacy Fund, a 'political organization' for the purposes of federal tax code."
The lawsuit says that the NEA contributed about $35,000 to Protect Utah Workers, split over five payments in April 2025.
"Unions like the UEA often operate a political action committee funded by voluntary contributions solicited from members and use these highly visible funds to deflect questions about whether members’ dues are used for politics," said Maxford Nelsen, the Freedom Foundation’s director of research and government affairs. "Unbeknownst to most teachers, the vast majority of teachers unions' political spending is financed with member dues, and the UEA is no different."
Kelley said that when he ran for the state education board position as a Republican, the UEA contributed to his opponent.
"There's no question that they are left-leaning and that's — you know, when you go look at their donations, especially at the NEA level, and you look at their donations to campaigns — they, by a very large margin, support the Democratic Party and are making significant donations to Democrat candidates for office," he said.
"My big frustration is that, you know, I feel like that what they're telling their members and what they are telling those teachers that do choose to join their organization — that they're not being forthright, they're not being honest— they're telling half-truths, mis-truths and sometimes flat-out lies."
Ryan Walters is the former Oklahoma state superintendent. He now runs the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a new union alternative which supports educators who wish to teach free from ideological bias.
"This lawsuit exposes what teachers unions have long tried to hide: a coordinated taxpayer-funding scheme that funnels dues into radical political activism aimed at undermining America," Walters said. "The abuse of both teachers and taxpayers will not go unnoticed, and these organizations will be held accountable."
The UEA said it does not comment on pending litigation.
The NEA did not return a request for comment.