RACINE, Wis. – Teachers unions are facing increased pressure to justify their existence.

Apparently that’s too much for some of the more passionate members, and they’re lashing out in ugly ways at those they perceive as enemies.

Their enemy list includes groups like the Association of American Educators, a professional association for educators that does not engage in collective bargaining, partisan politics or any other dirty habits that plague the unions.

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The AAE recently sent out a promotional email to Wisconsin teachers touting the group’s value. That makes sense, since Wisconsin teachers are now free to drop out of their unions and join any group they want.

That sort of recruiting did not sit well with union folks, who let their anger fly in response emails.

“Yep. There were Jews that assisted the Nazis, so your organization isn’t an original idea,” wrote Laurance Mitchell, a teacher at William Horlick High School in the Racine Unified School District.

EAGnews tried contacting Mitchell so he could explain his comments, but he did not respond. Such stupidity requires no explanation.

Meanwhile, Katherine Villarreal, a teacher at Racine’s Mitchell Middle School, wrote, “I am a very proud UNION THUG teacher. Today I even worked an extra three hours for FREE! I will still stick w my UNION before scabbing and slumming with y’all!”

Villarreal added a post script: “Go after the Catholics!”

Villarreal

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EAGnews contacted Villarreal to ascertain why anyone should “go after the Catholics.”

“I DO NOT have to explain myself to you,” she responded.

But a Facebook comment from 2012 may offer a clue. She wrote, “Catholics are scary. I remember being told while attending Catholic School: All Christians are good, but Catholics are better… Better what? Pedophiles? Liars? Bigots?”

Unionists are obviously still reeling from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s sweeping collective bargaining reforms. When the reforms gave teachers a choice, they left the unions in droves.

EAGnews recently reported WEAC, the state’s largest teachers union and the National Education Association affiliate, lost about half of its 98,000 members since the reforms became law.

AFSCME, which represents some school support staff, lost about two-thirds of its members.

Things are so dire, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council – a collective of unions – actually canceled its annual Laborfest event. Declining membership and stressed finances are likely to blame.

So the remaining union loyalists are quite angry and ready to lash out at the slightest provocation.

It’s clear the brute and unsophisticated mentality unions have brought into schools will not be easily rooted out.

But as expectations and accountability increase, parents can only hope such juvenile adults will no longer be accepted into such an important profession.