Staff Reports
The National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) may claim to have the best interests of educators and students at heart, but their recent national conferences suggest otherwise. Despite declining test scores and enrollment numbers, these teacher unions prioritized left-wing activism over education at their conventions in July.
At the NEA’s Representative Assembly in Orlando, Florida, NEA President Becky Pringle set the tone with her opening remarks, filled with meaningless slogans and empty platitudes. She criticized the United States Supreme Court and labeled Florida as “our nation’s Ground Zero for shameful, racist, homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic rhetoric and dangerous actions.” Instead of focusing on practical solutions for education, NEA delegates discussed resolutions that veered into non-education subjects such as LGBTQ+ priorities, religious expression, and gun control.
For example, NBI 1 submitted by the NEA’s LGBTQ+ Caucus called for a “robust 2024 election strategy that centers LGBT issues” and resources on gender-affirming care and pronoun usage. Another resolution focused on gun control measures like red-flag laws and assault rifle bans. These resolutions were all passed during the assembly.
The AFT’s TEACH 2023 conference in Washington, D.C. mirrored the NEA’s left-wing agenda. AFT President Randi Weingarten framed conservatives as a threat to public education and launched a $5 million campaign called “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities,” without specifying any concrete solutions. Breakout sessions at the conference encouraged teachers to focus on LGBTQIA+ identities, cultural appropriation, climate change, and combating cisnormativity.
The National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) prioritize left-wing social issues over advocating for teachers and students in the American public school system. Their national conferences focused on radical political… https://t.co/xpYzgnoBOY
— The America One News (@am1_news) August 31, 2023
Both conferences lacked substantive discussions on improving student outcomes in core academic subjects like math, science, reading, and writing. It seems that pushing a left-wing ideology into school curriculums is the unions’ primary and only goal. This prioritization of political activism over education is a disservice to students and undermines the true purpose of our public schools.
Teachers who genuinely care about their students’ success should reconsider their support for these unions. By resigning their membership and refusing to contribute financially to the unions’ political pet projects, they can help defund an obstacle to long-term educational success in our country. The NEA and AFT have shown their true colors at these conventions, and it’s time for educators to prioritize the needs of their students over the unions’ radical agenda.
