Teachers’ lobby targets candidates ahead of ‘pivotal’ Wyoming election

The primaries are only a week away, and the Wyoming Education Association isn’t pulling punches.

“We have increased our involvement this go-around in large part because this is such a pivotal election for the state of Wyoming,” WEA Government Relations Director Tate Mullen said.

It’s not new for the association to be critical of policies or politicians, but it has beefed up public outreach efforts like mailers in response to changing attitudes being expressed towards public schools, he said.

“The unfortunate reality since the pandemic was that we have seen education and our educators under attack,” he said. “In 2020, during the pandemic, our educators were lauded as heroes, and how quickly that turned.”

This member association for educators and school staff is increasingly advocating for — or against — political candidates to fend off policies it sees as detrimental to public schools and those who work within them. It’s doing that with the help of the separately funded WEA Political Action Committee for Education, or PACE.

Not everyone is convinced they’re fighting fair.

Some lawmakers under WEA’s microscope are pushing back and at least two residents filed complaints with the secretary of state over the organization’s attack mailers.

The lobby’s positions

During the 2024 legislative session, a slim majority of lawmakers fought hard for a bill that would have eliminated “gun-free zones” and allowed concealed carry in most facilities the state oversees, including schools (though didn’t allow many students to carry). The legislation would have allowed adults with a license to carry a concealed firearm to bring a gun into school without administrators knowing about it, or being able to stop them.

Those vying for the legislation felt that gun-free zones make easy targets for bad actors. Others, including the WEA, felt the bill went too far, potentially introducing firearms into spaces where heated debates occur and death threats have been made.

The measure passed but was vetoed by Gov. Mark Gordon who cited concerns about eroding local control and violating “the separation of powers embodied in Article 2 of our Wyoming Constitution.” The WEA, which had vehemently opposed the bill, applauded the veto.

The association is continuing its work to maintain local control, Mullen said. Some mailers applaud candidates for “ensuring districts have the resources and control they need.” The WEA’s hope is those pro-local control candidates will fight off anticipated legislation regarding what books are allowed in school libraries.

“That decision should be made and left to the community members within their community and that local school board,” he said. “It’s not a state decision.”

The Wyoming association also fought hard to secure grant funds intended to support mental health efforts in schools. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus opposed those efforts, with members arguing that this wasn’t the role of government and expressing skepticism over the policy’s effectiveness.

Some funding for these K-12 grants did end up in the budget , but not before failing introduction in the House where the Freedom Caucus has enough members to block bills.

The WEA also has deeply vested interests in a major funding recalibration effort that’ll happen next legislative session and possible legislation to expand a school voucher program , Mullen said. That program effectively allows students to use some public money to help pay for private schooling — something the education association has fought.

Fair play?

The WEA is advocating for a list of 26 candidates for the Legislature this year, and has published the roster on its legislative guide. The association used its scorecard, committee recommendations and actual conversations with candidates to select a mix of Republican and Democratic candidates, Mullen said.

Perhaps its most visible vehicle, however, have been mailers — including those aimed at Freedom Caucus members the association believes work against its priorities, including Reps. Sarah Penn (R-Lander), Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Cody) and Jeanette Ward (R-Casper).

“Please don’t cast your vote for a politician who used her time in office to: trample local authority; target marginalized youth; attack educators,” said one mailer going after Ward.

Ward, Penn, Rodriguez-Williams and the Wyoming State Director for the State Freedom Caucus Network Jessie Rubino didn’t return calls and emails for comment. They have, however, responded elsewhere. Ward even published guest commentary in Oil City News, titled, “Teachers shouldn’t have to be mental health professionals too.”

“The Wyoming Education Association, like Randi Weingarten’s American Federation of Teachers, doesn’t care about children — they care about maintaining their power and attempts to radicalize our schools and our children,” Ward wrote.

The secretary of state’s office has also received two complaints against the WEA regarding its mailers. One noted that a mailer in March said it was paid for by the association, but felt it should’ve been paid for by the group’s political action committee.

“At the bottom of said mailer it states ‘Paid for by Wyoming Education Association,’” the handwritten complaint says. “WEA receives tax dollars and I believe this to be inappropriate.”

Another complaint felt that an attack mailer “discredits” Ward and is illegal.

The WEA wasn’t previously aware of the complaints before WyoFile asked about them, Mullen said. Still, responding to the first complaint, he said that the WEA doesn’t receive tax dollars and that it’s well within its right to use member dues to educate the electorate on what lawmakers are doing.

“Those mailers that went out are no different than the report card that we publish during the legislative session and after the legislative session,” he said. “It is a mere accountability campaign, and it is well within WEA’s First Amendment rights.”

That said, he noted that this mailer was sent before the deadline to file for candidacy, and that mailers since have been funded by donors who support the completely separate political action committee.

As for whether the mailers violate state laws by discrediting a candidate, Mullen said the WEA isn’t working to discredit legislators, but instead hold them accountable.

“We are absolutely holding her accountable for her votes and her record on public education within the Legislature,” he said.

Primary election day is on Aug. 20. WyoFile will be teaming with the Associated Press to bring readers live district-by-district results of Wyoming’s congressional and legislative races.

Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify Jessie Rubino’s title. The original version of this story listed her as the Wyoming Freedom Caucus State Director. —Ed.

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