At the recent NEA 2025 Representative Assembly, a recommendation was sent to the Executive Committee that NEA not partner with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). As the NEA does not currently have a partnership with the ADL, this would have constituted a forward-looking declaration.
Today, following the culmination of a thorough review process as governed by NEA rules, including a vote by NEA’s Executive Committee earlier this week, NEA's Board of Directors—representing the broad and diverse membership of the NEA including representatives from every state—voted not to implement this proposal.
In our review, NEA considered multiple factors, including the rationale and concerns behind the proposal, its relationship to our policies and values, and how this would affect students, our members, our work, and our mission to champion excellence and justice in public education. We consulted with NEA state affiliates and civil rights leaders, including Jewish American and Arab American community leaders, and we also met with ADL leadership.
After consideration, it was determined that this proposal would not further NEA’s commitment to academic freedom, our membership, or our goals. Today’s vote by the NEA Board of Directors to not adopt this proposal completes NEA’s process.
There is no doubt that antisemitism is on the rise. Without equivocation, NEA stands strongly against antisemitism. We always have and we always will. Our Jewish students and educators deserve nothing less.
As NEA members debated this issue on the floor of our Representative Assembly, they spoke about a variety of painful, frustrating, and dehumanizing experiences related to antisemitism and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian bigotry. We know antisemitism and anti-Arab bigotry are very real and urgent problems in this country and around the world. They are insidious forms of hate, which is why NEA and our members actively work to fight them in our classrooms, on our campuses, and in our communities.
We have increased our efforts to combat all forms of hate because we know freedom and safety for any of us depends on the freedom and safety of all of us. As educators, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring our schools and campuses are safe and welcoming for all students, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or identity–with no exceptions. That is fundamental to who we are as educators and the core of who we are as a union.
At our core, NEA’s work and mission is rooted in social and racial justice, and we have a long, proud history of fighting against hate in all its forms. In this time of division, fighting antisemitism, anti-Arab racism, and other forms of discrimination will take more resources, not fewer. We are ready.
Public education is vital to building respect for the worth, dignity, and equality of every individual in our diverse society. Our democracy depends on freedom of speech and a great education depends on academic freedom, and inclusive and respectful debate. NEA opposes efforts to shut down debate, to silence voices of disagreement, and intimidation. We recognize the underlying concerns of the authors and supporters of the proposal, and we are committed to ongoing discussion with our community.
Not adopting this proposal is in no way an endorsement of the ADL’s full body of work. We are calling on the ADL to support the free speech and association rights of all students and educators. We strongly condemn abhorrent and unacceptable attacks on our members who dedicate their lives to helping their students thrive. Our commitment to freedom of speech fully extends to freedom of protest and dissent whether in the public square or on college campuses.
NEA will continue our work to combat discrimination against all people, pursue justice inside and beyond our schools, and we will always ensure our members are supported in these efforts. Along with this vote, we commit to continue our ongoing work to stand strong against oppression and hatred, a prerequisite for a thriving public education system consistent with our core values. Even with passionately held views on emotionally charged issues, the moment calls for us to use care and grace with each other and to ensure we refrain from actions that harm vulnerable communities.
Going forward, the NEA will use a diverse and knowledgeable group of NEA practitioners to review materials that we use in relation to antisemitism curriculum and tools to combat antisemitism.
As a union, our diverse backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, and our interconnected safety comes only through solidarity. In light of the near daily direct attacks being made against public education, our work together has never been more important. No amount of bullying can force us to abandon our commitment to our members and our values. And there is too much at stake to rest for even a moment.
