According to a recent report by the Defense of Freedom Institute (DFI), the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—the two largest teachers’ unions in the United States, representing 4.7 million educators—are promoting teaching radical gender ideology to students.
According to DFI, these unions are training educators on how to integrate gender identity politics into classroom instruction. This allegation is based on training sessions conducted at the Together Educating America’s Children (TEACH) Conference in Washington, D.C.
Sessions such as “Affirming LGBTQIA+ Identities in and out of the Classroom” and “The TGNCNB [transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary] Inclusive School and Classroom” were designed to guide educators.
During these sessions, participants were guided on reflecting upon personal biases, recognizing and rectifying inappropriate behavior, and learning techniques to enhance inclusivity in school environments. The AFT’s program guide elaborated, “We will model an identity-affirming space that centers on LGBTQIA+ voices.” Another workshop focused on understanding the needs of TGNCNB students and promoting inclusivity in schools.
Beyond these sessions, the AFT adopted a resolution in support of “age-appropriate and inclusive” bathroom and locker room policies. Similarly, the NEA launched an “LGBTQ Toolkit” that emphasized using their “Pronoun Guide” and implementing policies supportive of LGBTQ youth.
Earlier this year, NEA leaders criticized Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in primary grades.”
Additionally, the NEA has been vocal about endorsing “displays of inclusivity” in educational spaces, such as the Black Lives Matter poster or the “pride” flag. If prohibitions arise against such displays, the NEA has urged educators to challenge their school’s policies, referencing a January incident where an Oregon teachers union successfully contested a school board’s ban on political symbols in classrooms.
