Teachers in the tiny Sprague-Lamont School District have decided they won't use the Washington Education Association to negotiate their next contract.

After voting last month to decertify the union as their bargaining agent, the Eastern Washington district's 15 teachers decided to and keep the contract that expired Aug. 31 for another year.

The conservative Evergreen Freedom Foundation applauds the action as the beginning of a teacher revolution against the powerful WEA. But the union's leaders call it an anomaly.

"We will work to welcome these folks back and have an honest discussion about the value of a local, state and national voice," said Charles Hasse, president of the statewide association.

Hasse and other union officials said they expected teachers in Sprague-Lamont's three Lincoln Coiunty schools to return to as soon as they realize how difficult it is to represent themselves.

But Jim Dishon, president of the new bargaining unit and a science, math and art teacher, said most of the teachers in Sprague-Lamont have decided they don't need the union's services, even though they were mostly nonmembers who didn't pay dues.

"They were negotiating for us for free, but you didn't really have a say in what they were negotiating. Some of us felt we were not represented," said Dishon, who describes himself as a conservative opposed to unions.

Nine of the district's teachers have joined Northwest Professional Educators, which provides nonbargaining support services including liability insurance for $144 a year for new members or $169 for others.

This is cache, read story here