The win in the U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME is monumental for teachers. Finally, teachers forced to fund state and national unions for decades have the freedom to “opt out” and pay them nothing. The court also granted “opt in” rights to employees, so membership is no longer automatic. Since state and national teachers’ unions oppress teachers and use our money to fund the social and political agendas invading our schools and culture, Janus could be monumental for America’s schools and kids too. Freeing teachers could lead to the restoration of our schools and finally level the playing field between the values of bully unions and the values of the rest of the country.

I say Janus “could” level the playing field because though Janus provides educators the opportunity to opt out of paying fees, unions remain monopoly bargaining agents and exclusive “representatives” of all educators trapped in union shops. This is unfortunate because state and national unions control teachers in a culture of fear — using intimidation, isolation, and ignorance to keep us captive.

This is why thousands of teachers across the country have asked me the exact same question: “Is there a way to remain in my local association and get rid of state and national teachers’ unions?”

Most teachers appreciate their local associations because locals do the heavy lifting. Yet my $1,000 in annual union dues was divided. The California Teachers Association took $656, and the National Education Association took $187. Our local survived on $157, and when we local leaders asked for accountability from state and national leadership, we got squashed.

By overpowering the teaching profession, state and national unions have transformed our schools. Their negative impact is felt from outrageous sex education curriculums normalizing anal and oral sex for children, to activist teachers converting children into social justice warriors, to multi-million dollar attacks on school choice.

In response to this abuse, my fellow teachers and I brought our case, Friedrichs v. CTA, to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016. We were hoping to free teachers and kids from the grip of union influence because schools shouldn’t be social, sexual or political warzones. We were poised to win, but Justice Scalia’s untimely death led to a 4-4 deadlock.

Thankfully, Mark Janus recovered our fumble and ran it for a touchdown! Trouble is unions have racked up the score for decades so the scoreboard — liberty for kids and teachers 6, power and control for unions 100 — means we have a long battle ahead to liberate our schools and win the game.

Using fear tactics, unions are forcing teachers to strike in numerous states and have already labeled educators who choose independence as “union busters.” Knowing most teachers appreciate the safety and community of their local associations, unions ensured locals were linked to state and national affiliates, so “opting out” means leaving all three. So if teachers reject union politics in protection of kids, we lose the right to stand with our local teacher friends. Then we’re slandered as “free riders,” enjoying all the “benefits” without paying for them, and “anti-union,” so our colleagues won’t trust us.

Unions got one label right. Teachers who want to “opt out” of being used and abused by them can be labeled, “anti.” We’re “anti-bully unions,” “anti-teacher abuse,” and “anti-harm to children.” We’re strongly in favor of uniting though — we’re “pro-local only.” We’re also “pro-rejecting state and national unions” who fail to mention they take 70 to 80 percent of our dues and that their “benefits” are really power and wealth for them at the expense of teachers and kids.

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California’s job numbers aren’t good But many teachers who are anti-bully unions won’t leave them because teachers who exercise their Janus rights by opting out and paying nothing will be harassed more than ever. Union leaders will do what they do best — divide, intimidate, isolate, deceive, and name call — so they can continue to dominate.

So to me, the best thing about the Janus win is the opportunity to inform you that the surefire way to protect our kids and improve education is to notify teachers of their new Janus rights. But union bullies will scare them, so we need to Adopt Teachers — embrace, educate, enlighten, empathize, encourage, and empower them. Standing in solidarity will provide the strength teachers need to opt out and stand up to bully unions.

Will you do our kids another favor? Can you let teachers know the answer to their question is “yes!” Yes, teachers can keep their local and ditch state and national union bullies — if they decertify the entire web of union control and start fresh with their own local associations. Bully unions will fight “pro-local only” with a vengeance, but if we stand together with teachers and reject the bullies, we’ll regain authority in our schools and culture, and our kids will be safe and well educated again.

Rebecca Friedrichs, a 28-year California public school teacher and plaintiff in Friedrichs v. CTA, is the founder of For Kids and Country (ForKidsAndCountry.org) and author of the forthcoming book “Standing Up To Goliath.”