Each summer, the National Education Association holds its annual meeting over the Fourth of July weekend with teacher delegates assembling from all over the country. Thousands of educators show up to propose issues for the union to adopt. Despite recent membership losses, NEA remains the nation's largest union, a force that shapes public school education and a strong driver of left-wing politics. The group spends millions on political campaigns and issues, with 98% of that funding going to Democrats and left-wing causes.
In recent years, NEA proceedings have displayed an alarming radical trend. This year was no different, which is bad news for our children and for the nation as a whole. The union’s revolutionary tone continues to accelerate with accompanying paranoia to stamp out voices of reason.
As an example, the union launched a scheme ahead of this year’s meeting to reduce the impact of conservative participation.
Special interest caucuses have for decades met and manned display booths at the annual meeting. A small number of these are pro-life and pro-family voices, which have served as a strong witness to an increasingly antagonistic audience. The Ex-Gay Educators’ Caucus, for instance, has been a presence for 22 years, as well as an Educators for Life caucus that formed 51 years ago. There’s also a caucus on creation science (as opposed to evolution).
This year, the union changed caucus requirements just a few weeks ahead of the annual meeting, doubling membership quotas and demanding more detailed contact information on each member. The outcome was predictable—only 24 approved caucuses showed up in Denver compared to 33 the year before. The Educators for Life Caucus and the Ex-Gay Educators’ Caucus were shut out.
Yet the “LGBTQ” caucus was allowed eight exhibit tables. Wonder if they were given advance notice about the rules change?
The pro-life and ex-gay groups convened with signs and literature at tables in a common eating area, but union officials wouldn’t allow that either and shooed them away.
This, from the union that has been shrieking about alleged censorship in school libraries and urging schools to permit any published book to be available to children, including those containing obscenity. Their campaign in recent years included banners proclaiming, “Read Banned Books!” But free speech and polite signage—even at lunch—is too threatening for this group to allow.
During a polite dialogue, the officials were surprisingly honest, however, explaining that the NEA needs to protect itself from outside influencers. Sadly, and perhaps intentionally, this exclusion shuts out believers in Jesus Christ.
At the meeting, the union considered proposals supporting many aspects of DEI, including reparations. There were both sides of anti-Semitism represented—proposals challenging anti-Semitism with another seeking alleged balance. A big demonstration convened outside the assembly by supporters of Israel, with signs calling to “End Jew Hatred,” a response to a proposal adopted last year (2025) to boycott educational resources from the Anti-Defamation League. An exhibit table was allowed by “Educators 4 Palestine.”
The union continues to be avid defenders of “LGBTQ” behavior for both teachers and students, and passed a resolution to provide legal and medical assistance for transgender educator members and students, as well as so-called “safety” planning. One resolution stated, “Transgender individuals are facing state-sanctioned violence and erasure,” a claim that is untrue.
The NEA also decided to publish information about the alleged harm of what they call “conversion therapy” for “queer individuals,” especially youth. The objectionable practice is actually talk therapy for those with unwanted same sex attraction. And there’s nothing harmful about it.
The union considered multiple anti-ICE and anti-legal immigration resolutions. They want to warn teachers and students about the presence of ICE in their communities, so the union will pay for research about any agreements ICE has with local law enforcement. One new business item accused ICE of “kidnapping” and using immigrants for slave labor.
NEA is opposed to “adultism,” a woke term challenging legal standards protecting children through the authority of parents or other responsible adults. As a Marxist organization, NEA would prefer premature empowerment of youth and division in the nuclear family.
The union also opposes the Save America Act, alleging voter suppression. They also oppose school choice and vouchers even though schools receive more funding than ever and yet produce a substandard product: declining student proficiency scores. More on this later.
The insane are allowed ample voice at the NEA. One resolution which did not pass proposed rallies this fall calling for the impeachment, conviction and removal of Donald Trump, at a cost to the union of $5.2 million dollars.
And several proposals called for an end to the war against Iran. One said this: “Donald Trump’s war policy is one of genocide and fascism. His attack in Iran and support for Netanyahu’s genocide in Lebanon is intended to demonstrate his authoritarian power to use US military forces to impose dominance against the world.”
Another proposal called for a no-confidence vote against RFK as HHS Secretary.
Those who attend the NEA Representative Assembly are delegates elected by other teachers to have a voice at the meeting. We know that not all teachers support such outrageous, immoral, anti-child, anti-American policies. But enough do, and if we are to stop the influence of the NEA, the remaining sane teachers need to stop paying dues to this destructive union as well as the AFT. There are worthy alternatives. For information, go HERE and HERE.
And yet again this year, the NEA avoided the elephant in the room—dismal student test scores. When will this group admit responsibility for that outcome, despite ever-higher education spending?
New reports reveal that in Ohio, 68% of fourth graders are not proficient in reading and 68% of eighth graders are not proficient in math. In New York State, the government spends $43 billion on education, an ed budget that’s the highest per capita in the nation. Yet New York schools report declining enrollment and deplorable performance.
Nationally, the NAEP report (the Nation’s Report Card) for 2024 showed reading proficiency down at both the 4th grade and 8th grade levels. One third of 8th graders cannot even perform basic reading, which is a higher percentage than ever before. National scores are below those of pre-COVID years.
Which members of this union will step up to claim responsibility for this? Will no one raise his/her hand?
Apparently not. Those hands are too busy holding May Day/No Kings/Abolish ICE signs and rainbow flags to bend down to help a struggling young reader. This union urges governors to refuse the $6.5 billion in the Education Freedom Tax Credit program, because it’s more important to hate the Trump administration, school choice, etc. than for families to have funding assistance to improve their child’s education. NEA would claim that these credits are part of the scheme to “destroy public education.”
No, you folks are doing that all by yourselves.
But hopefully, taking fewer children with you to a progressive hell as parents wake up and act.
Teachers, leave the union now. Parents, get your kids out of public schools if you can. If not, then take back control of your local schools from these corrupt anti-education “educators.”
