(The Center Square) – Revocation of the federal charter for the National Education Association over concerns of its priorities is in a bill introduced by Republican lawmakers.
Many Republicans in Congress believe the the nation’s largest teacher union is prioritizing politics over education.
They say the NEA has been exposed for calling President Donald Trump a fascist, adopting partisan driven resolutions, and morphed into a mouthpiece for left-wing extremism.
Bicameral legislation has been introduced by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C. The National Education Association Charter Repeal Act would revoke the NEA’s federal charter.
The Center Square was unsuccessful getting comment before publication from the union.
After Congress established the NEA in 1906, the goal was for it to support America’s teachers and strengthen its schools. Harris said the NEA has abandoned that mission in order to support radical leftist agendas.
“From branding President Trump a fascist to embracing divisive gender ideology and walking away from efforts to fight antisemitism, the NEA has become nothing more than a partisan advocacy group,” he said in a release. “Since the NEA is clearly not prioritizing students, parents or even teachers, it’s time to remove Congress’ seal of approval from this rogue organization.”
Blackburn said the NEA has made it clear it is a partisan organization and it should not be given a platform to expand its “woke gender ideology.”
“Time and again, teachers’ unions have shown they’ll put their political agenda ahead of students’ needs,” Blackburn said in a release from Harris. “The National Education Association has made it crystal clear it’s a partisan organization, and it shouldn’t be rewarded with a federal charter that platforms woke gender ideology, antisemitism, and left-wing propaganda. Our students deserve better.”
In the House of Representatives, the 15 cosponsors include Harris’ fellow Republican North Carolinians David Rouzer and Brad Knott, and Blackburn’s fellow Republican Tennessean Andy Ogles. In the Senate, Blackburn’s proposal has one cosponsor thus far.
“Becky Pringle has weaponized the nation’s largest teachers’ union to push a radical political agenda, funneling millions to Democrats while abandoning students, parents, and teachers,” said U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., who is a cosponsor of the Charter Repeal Act. “Under her failed leadership, the NEA has become a vehicle for indoctrination, not education.”
Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project, was the one who obtained a copy of the NEA’s resolutions and posted a thread on social media, exposing each newly adopted business item.
“NEA pledges to defend democracy against Trump’s embrace of fascism by using the term facism [sic] in NEA materials to correctly characterize Donald Trump’s program and actions,” according to the union’s resolution.
The NEA changed the language of deporting illegal immigrants to “kidnapping” and expressed its support for students protesting against ICE raids.
“NEA opposes Immigration and Customs Enforcement kidnapping student leaders and supports students’ right to organize against ICE raids and deportations,” read another resolution.
In response to the lawmakers’ action against the NEA, DeAngelis took to social media, thanking them for their efforts.
“Thank you so much for fighting against the socialists at the National Education Association,” DeAngelis wrote. “It’s time to revoke their federal charter.”
U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., previously tried to revoke the NEA’s congressional charter in 2022.
