The nation’s largest teachers’ union just voted to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League, and you won’t believe the twisted logic fueling this latest assault on commonsense, decency, and—yes—basic American values.
At a Glance
- The NEA voted to prohibit any use or endorsement of ADL materials in public schools, pending executive review.
- The resolution was pushed by progressive caucuses and activists citing the ADL’s alleged “misalignment” with social justice priorities.
- Jewish educators and families warn this move increases the risk of exclusion and antisemitism in schools.
- The decision signals a broader leftward shift, pitting old-guard civil rights alliances against new intersectional activism.
NEA Cuts Ties with ADL, Throws Jewish Teachers Under the Bus
The National Education Association, representing nearly three million educators, voted at its annual Representative Assembly on July 6 to sever all ties with the Anti-Defamation League—an organization founded to combat antisemitism, educate on the Holocaust, and provide anti-bias training across American schools. The resolution, dubbed New Business Item 39, bans any use, endorsement, or publicizing of the ADL’s materials, statistics, or programs in America’s public schools, pending final approval by the union’s executive committee. The kicker? The ADL, long a progressive darling, is now apparently “not the social justice educational partner it claims to be.” This isn’t satire, folks, it’s the modern left at work.
Let’s be clear: the ADL’s “No Place for Hate” program has operated in over 2,000 American schools, arming students and teachers with vital knowledge on the Holocaust and the poisonous roots of antisemitism. But in today’s upside-down world, decades of fighting hate and bigotry count for nothing compared to the latest intersectional flavor of the month. The NEA’s decision isn’t just a slap in the face to Jewish educators—it’s an act of self-sabotage, tossing proven resources aside to appease radical activists bent on “purity” tests that would make Orwell blush.
Progressive Activists Push Out the ADL—Who’s Next?
The charge to oust the ADL was led by “Educators for Palestine,” a newly recognized caucus inside the NEA, and their allies in the “Drop the ADL” coalition—a network of over 200 progressive and Muslim organizations. Their complaint? The ADL’s support for Israel and its “alleged” suppression of anti-racist organizing. Never mind that the ADL’s core mission is to fight hate targeting Jews and other minorities—the new litmus test is blind allegiance to causes that often demonize Israel and, by extension, Jewish identity itself. The NEA’s Jewish Affairs Caucus, representing Jewish teachers nationwide, sounded the alarm: this vote “sends a troubling message of exclusion” to Jewish educators and students. The ADL called the move “profoundly disturbing,” warning it strips schools of crucial resources on fighting bigotry. But to the activists, that’s collateral damage in their quest for ideological purity.
The union’s executive committee now holds the fate of this resolution, with final implementation pending their approval. If adopted, it will mark a seismic shift in how public schools educate about hate and tolerance. The fallout? Jewish teachers and families now face more uncertainty and less support, all thanks to a vote that values activism over actual safety and inclusion.
Education or Ideological Witch Hunt? What This Means for Schools and Families
If the NEA carries this resolution to its bitter end, the implications are grim. Holocaust education, antisemitism awareness, and anti-bias training—all at risk. For Jewish students and teachers, the message is unmistakable: your history, your safety, and your inclusion are all expendable if they conflict with the latest activist dogma. Progressive groups are celebrating what they see as a win for “Palestinian solidarity” and anti-racist organizing. But for the rest of us—especially those who remember why the ADL existed in the first place—this is a dangerous, divisive turn.
The NEA’s internal fractures are on full display, with Jewish and pro-Israel members now pitted against pro-Palestinian and far-left caucuses. This isn’t just about one union or one organization; it’s about the broader left’s willingness to rewrite the rules, erase history, and police speech in the name of social justice. Other unions and educational institutions will be watching closely, wondering if they too will face the same pressure to sever ties with any group that dares to challenge the new orthodoxy.
Sources:
Axios: Gaza war divides teachers union as NEA votes to cut ties with ADL
Washington Times: National Education Association votes to cut ties with ADL
WJBC: NEA votes to cut ties with Anti-Defamation League
