Commentary
School board elections this year were more organized—and dirtier—than ever.
Teachers’ unions ran sophisticated campaigns to elect slates of “progressive” trustees, complete with vitriolic attack websites, as angry parents began to organize in response to progressive excesses. Stakes are high: School boards control billions in public spending, and can indoctrinate children with their chosen ideological perspective. The conflict is getting out of hand, but a recent innovation in British Columbia may offer a solution.
Recent political financing laws are probably at the root of the increased tension. Government legislation has largely eliminated political participation by corporations.  Unions, whose business is the mobilization and control of their members, are largely unaffected by the new finance regulations. While a corporation might not be able to make donations, the union can simply direct its members to do so. The political balance of business and labour has tilted decisively in labour’s favour….