MISSION VIEJO, Calif.

AS TEACHERS go back to their classrooms this fall, they probably have a checklist of what they need to do to prepare: purchase supplies, arrange for parent meetings, pay union dues.

Union dues?

That’s right, for public-school teachers, union dues are as mandatory as classroom attendance in Rhode Island. That’s because Rhode Island does not have right-to-work laws and therefore the practice of forced dues is allowed.

According to recent research by the National Institute for Labor Relations, nearly 1.3 million teachers, or 43 percent of all public-school teachers in America, are forced to pay union dues and must do so even if they disagree with their union, its principles, or its political agenda. Refusal to pay can and will result in termination of employment.

Typical union dues run between $700 and $1,000 per year in the 23 states like Rhode Island. That’s $58 to $84 every month, all for the privilege of having a job in a public school. All told, the two teacher unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, collect $1.3 billion each year in forced dues and agency fees, which is 65 percent of the total dues collected by these giants.

With billions of dollars to play with, teacher unions wield significant influence and power. Unfortunately, too much of it is directed toward partisan political activity and controversial social agendas which are not directly related to the classroom. Often union political spending is at odds with the personal or professional views of many union members.

For example, the NEA recently vowed it will spend more than $40 million this year on political races, and pledged another $500,000 of teachers’ dues to a universal-health-care advocacy coalition. The NEA has been called an arm of the Democratic National Committee, having granted millions of dollars to a litany of liberal organizations. Furthermore, over the past 15 years the NEA has given over 90 percent of its PAC money to Democratic candidates.

According to an NEA survey by Michigan-based Star Research in 2005, 50 percent of NEA members considered themselves politically “conservative” or “tend conservative.” Only 40 percent described themselves as “liberal” or “leaned liberal.”

Why the disconnect between members’ political views and NEA spending? Two words: forced dues. Teachers cannot withdraw their financial support to hold the union accountable.

While many educators support their local union, they may desire to opt out of their state and national unions. Unfortunately, the NEA imposes a unified dues structure that does not permit supporting the local union without also funding the state union and the NEA.

Although educators must pay the teacher union a fee whether they are members of the union or not, the U.S. Constitution gives them the right to withhold the portion of their dues that is used for political purposes and other activities unrelated to collective bargaining.

Many teachers do not know about these rights. In fact, school employees are told, “You have to join the union,” or “You have to pay the dues anyway, so you might as well join the union.” According to the NEA’s own survey in 2005, 20 percent of new teachers said they joined the union because they had “no choice.”

There are two options for educators who do not want union membership and want to keep their jobs. They can become “agency fee payers” and pay an amount, determined by the union, that covers their collective bargaining, contract maintenance, and grievance resolution. Or they can become a religious objector and have a dues equivalent sent to a charity rather than the union. In both instances, the educator loses access to union “benefits.” There are, however, other national organizations such as the Association of American Educators that provide better services for a fraction of union dues.

Teachers wishing to exercise these rights and needing assistance can contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which provides free legal aid. The foundation has helped thousands of teachers across the country.

Teacher-union bosses have developed an unhealthy sense of entitlement — that somehow teachers owe the union money, whether or not that union is truly representing teachers’ interests. Teachers should exercise their options and align themselves with groups that view education as a calling, not a gravy train.

Gary Beckner is executive director of the Association of American Educators, a nonprofit professional teachers association funded by membership dues. It has 40,000 members across the country.