By AP
LANSING, MI –
The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether it's legal for school districts to deduct political contributions from the paychecks of teachers.
The court, in a 4-3 decision, said Friday it will accept an appeal from the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teachers union.
In 2008, the Michigan appeals court said it was illegal for public schools to help the MEA's political fund, even if districts are reimbursed for administering the payroll deduction.
The case began in 2006 when Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land said Michigan law bars a public body from collecting and transferring political contributions. Her opinion involved teachers in the Gull Lake district in Kalamazoo County.