The leader of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Randi Weingarten, has released a new book claiming fascists fear educators, but her assertions face significant criticism for misrepresenting key facts about education reform and school choice. While Weingarten argues that conservatives intentionally undermine public education to promote privatization, data suggests parents are seeking alternatives due to declining academic performance in public schools.
Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show record-low performance among high school seniors in both mathematics and reading. This academic decline has led to increasing support for school choice options across political lines, with polls indicating that 68% of Black voters and 63% of Hispanic voters now favor private school options.
The disconnect between union leadership and teacher political affiliations has become increasingly apparent. Despite NEA President Becky Pringle acknowledging that their membership is roughly equally divided between Democrats, Republicans, and independents, financial records tell a different story. In 2024, the NEA directed 98.24% of its $22.7 million political spending to Democratic candidates, while the AFT showed even greater partisan preference, allocating 99.89% of its $3.07 million in political contributions to Democrats.
A recent investigation by Defending Ed revealed extensive union funding flowing to left-wing organizations, including nearly $1.5 million to groups like the Tides Network and Future Forward, a Super PAC supporting Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign. The unions have also provided substantial support to Democratic political organizations and progressive think tanks, with the Center for American Progress receiving almost $1 million since 2022.
State-level unions have adopted increasingly radical positions. The Colorado Education Association, representing approximately 40,000 education professionals, has formally opposed capitalism, declaring it exploitative of children and public resources. Meanwhile, concerns have emerged regarding teachers’ unions’ positions on international issues, particularly regarding Israel and Jewish concerns.
The AFT has faced criticism for fundraising for a Gaza aid
organization linked to Hamas-controlled agencies. The NEA’s handling of Holocaust education has also drawn scrutiny for failing to specifically address the targeted genocide of Jewish people while emphasizing Palestinian displacement. Local unions, such as the United Teachers of Los Angeles, face legal challenges from Jewish teachers over alleged antisemitic positions.
Racial quotas have become another contentious issue within union policies. Multiple state affiliates, including the California Teachers Association, Massachusetts Teachers Association, and Michigan Education Association, have implemented race-based requirements for certain leadership positions, specifically reserving roles for individuals identifying as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color).
The unions’ influence extends beyond political advocacy to educational policy. They have successfully lobbied for tenure protections that complicate the removal of underperforming teachers and maintain seniority-based layoff systems. Their push for extended COVID-19 school closures has been particularly criticized for its negative impact on disadvantaged students.
Prior to the Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus decision, unions maintained mandatory dues collection from public school teachers, regardless of individual political preferences. This practice, combined with their partisan spending patterns and policy positions, has led to increasing scrutiny of their role in American education.
Critics argue that rather than defending democracy against fascism, as Weingarten claims in her book, teachers’ unions have become powerful political entities advancing specific ideological agendas while potentially undermining educational quality and parent choice in education.