Teachers' union of the country's biggest magnitude backs a plan aimed at discontinuing affiliations with the Anti-Defamation League.
In a controversial move, the National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers' union in the United States, has endorsed a proposal to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). This decision, which was endorsed by a slim majority, has sparked concern and debate among educators and advocacy groups.
The proposal, known as New Business Item 39, was preliminarily adopted by union delegates at the 2025 Representative Assembly held in Portland, Oregon on July 5. However, it is non-binding and will be referred to the NEA's Executive Committee for a final decision.
The NEA represents approximately three million educators across the United States and is unequivocally committed to combating all forms of hate and discrimination, including antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bigotry. The union's commitment to social justice has been called into question, though, due to concerns about the ADL's perceived pro-Israel bias and its categorization of criticism of Israel as antisemitism.
Critics of the ADL argue that the organization inflates antisemitism statistics by including non-violent Palestinian solidarity actions as "bias incidents," which they believe misrepresents the prevalence of antisemitism. Additionally, the ADL has been accused of suppressing social justice movements, such as the anti-Apartheid and Black Lives Matter movements, which has led some educators to question its credibility as a social justice partner.
The #DroptheADLFromSchools movement, which includes Educators for Palestine, has been critical of the ADL for what they perceive as a pro-Israel bias. The movement's concerns have gained traction, leading to the endorsement of the proposal to cut ties with the ADL.
The ADL spokesperson has stated that they will continue their work in providing educational programs to millions of students annually. Despite the controversy, the vote reflects a growing divide within progressive groups regarding the role of the ADL in educational settings. The ADL has condemned the move, calling it "profoundly disturbing" and an "attack on educational resources" related to antisemitism and the Holocaust.
The NEA's Executive Committee will send its recommendation to the union's Board of Directors. No board meeting on the proposal has yet been scheduled. The NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities nationwide. The practical impact of this measure is uncertain since unions typically do not dictate curriculum or programming in schools.
The NEA's commitment to ensuring students of every race, religion, or national origin have safe and welcoming spaces to learn and grow remains unwavering. As the debate surrounding the proposal continues, it is clear that the issue of the ADL's role in education will remain a contentious one.
The NEA's Executive Committee is scheduled to make a final decision on New Business Item 39, which seeks to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), as the controversy sparks debates within politics and general news circles, as well as among education-and-self-development advocates and educators. If the proposal is approved, it could lead to discussions about the role of the ADL in education-and-self-development, politics, and general news, potentially impacting how they collaborate on both local and national levels.
