As the nation debates the implications of the latest round of Supreme Court decisions, the court is already preparing a new slate for next term. Among the many cases on the docket, one stands out for its potential to eliminate a longstanding violation of citizens’ First Amendment rights and pave the way for education reform.

In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, the Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of state laws that compel public-sector workers to financially support unions. Ten California teachers argue that the state’s “agency shop” law — which forces them to pay either union dues of about $1,000 per year or “agency fees” of about two-thirds that amount — violates their First Amendment rights.