Teacher: SB 251 would allow union educators more freedom to 'opt out' Angela Sheffield As an educator, I urge him to sign it. The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill last week that would make it easier for teachers to choose our association membership. Senate Bill 251 allows educators to opt out of union membership and dues at any time and would require us to annually affirm that we still want union dues taken out of our paycheck. I’m a teacher, and I support this bill. The Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) currently limits the period in which teachers can opt out, and it coincides with one of the busiest months of the year.