New Mexico Teacher Union Questions State Issuing Prepaid Debit Cards To Teachers.

The AP (9/16, Contreras) reports Albuquerque Teachers Federation President Ellen Bernstein warned New Mexico educators not to accept $100 debit cards from their districts in exchange for silence in the ongoing dispute about teacher evaluations in the state. Bernstein did not say that teachers should not use the cards, but cautioned them to be careful because receiving them is not in the current contract the teachers unions have with the state or the districts. Bernstein says the agreement that teachers have to sign when accepting the cards could jeopardize their teacher licenses because a third party could determine what they purchase with the card violates the agreement.