‘Guerilla Journalism’ Outfit Stings Michigan Teachers Unions A Second Time

Project Veritas, a controversial nonprofit known for journalistic sting operations performed under false pretenses, has released a second video this month exposing a Michigan teachers union official making embarrassing statements about union discussions and practices.

This time, an undercover Project Veritas operative surreptitiously recorded a Michigan Education Association agent named Nick Nugent speaking about ways that school employees can get around mandatory reporting laws on student abuse.

Nugent is a MEA bargaining agent in Oakland County (called “Uniserv Director”).

In this case, a Project Veritas reporter posed as a teacher and union member who pushed a student in class, with the mythical student’s head hitting a chalkboard.

Under state law such instances must be reported.

“This is a tough one because, if we report it, you’re gonna get investigated,” Nugent told the undercover reporter. “And I don’t want you to get investigated.”

Nugent told the faux teacher to “take some time off” because the student’s wounds “will heal.”

“I’ve had where teachers have pushed kids and pushed them down and it hasn’t come out,” Nugent told the Project Veritas operative.

Nugent’s base salary was $92,062 in 2016-17.

Project Veritas is run by James O’Keefe, who describes himself on his website as an award-winning journalist dedicated to investigating corruption, dishonesty and waste. His techniques are controversial because he does undercover investigations that depend on deceiving his targets.

Earlier this month, a Project Veritas report showed the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan union fighting the dismissal of a teacher accused of molesting a student.

Mike Antonucci of the Education Intelligence Agency reported that the NEA implemented changes after Project Veritas pulled a sting operation on one of its Michigan affiliates.

The changes involved new instructions on fully vetting volunteers, verifying employment and membership status and a reminder not to talk about sensitive or confidential matters with unfamiliar people.