Best of 2014: How Eva Moskowitz Outmuscled the Teachers Union

A charter school pioneer counters the political influence of organized labor.

The battle between charter school pioneer Eva Moskowitz and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) was one of New York City's biggest political stories of 2014.

On the campaign trail, de Blasio promised the teachers union that Moskowitz "would stop having the run of the place," and no longer be "tolerated, enabled, [or] supported." When he tried to make good on that promise, Moskowitz struck back and won, ensuring that Success Academy, the highly successful charter school network she runs, could expand and thrive. The episode demonstrated that it's possible for the school choice movement to counter the outsized political influence of organized labor.

In September of 2014, Nick Gillespie sat down with Moskowitz to talk about how she outmuscled the teachers union.