For more than a century, the National Education Association (NEA) – a teacher’s union with more than 3 million members – has had a congressional charter. Now, some Republican politicians are aiming to remove it.
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) and Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks of Indiana are leading the effort and plan to introduce the National Educational Association Charter Repeal Act.
Fitzgerald told Fox News Digital, which first reported the news, that they want the charter stripped from the organization because the “National Education Association has strayed far from its original mission.”
According to the George Washington University Library, the NEA’s history begins in 1857, when teachers met “to elevate the character and advance the interest of the profession of teaching, and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States.” At the time, the organization was called the National Teacher’s Association.
Throughout its history, the NEA has been a force for progressive causes and has advocated for civil rights and human rights. During the Civil War era, it opposed slavery and recommended that no seceded states be readmitted to the Union until they agree to provide a free public school system for Black as well as white children. Before women had the right to vote, the organization elected women to be its vice president and president.
Its current mission is to “advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.”
Recently, the NEA has pushed back against Republican efforts to prevent teachers from discussing systemic racism or LGBTQ+ issues in the classroom.
Banks told Fox News Digital that he joined the effort to repeal the NEA charter with Fitzgerald because “there is now no daylight between the NEA’s agenda and the radical left’s agenda.”
“Rather than supporting students, the NEA consistently put the interests of progressive teachers’ unions over the learning of students,” said Fitzgerald. “It is time for Congress to say enough is enough and revoke the NEA’s federal charter.”
“Worst of all, the NEA strongly supports teaching 5-year-old children about adult sexual behavior,” said Banks. “Their mission used to be education, now it’s indoctrination and pitting American children against their parents’ values.”
Recently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another Republican, signed the Parental Rights in Education bill into law. It is commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and “prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels.”
In contrast, the NEA “is committed to providing every educator with the LGBTQ+ resources needed to help create safe and welcoming schools for all students.”
“Congress represents all Americans, and this bill will end Congress’ tacit support for an organization that now only represents narrow, partisan interests,” said Banks.
However, 62% of Americans oppose the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, according to an ABC/Ipsos poll released last month.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, another Republican, expressed support for Fitzgerald and Banks’ efforts.
“The union bosses at the National Education Association stand in the way of ensuring access to an excellent education for every student,” Walker said. “Rep. Scott Fitzgerald stood with me as we fought their efforts to intimidate officials in Wisconsin.”
He added that the legislation Fitzgerald and Banks are working on would “ensure that taxpayers are not forced to sanction the NEA’s radical agenda with a congressional charter.”
According to information obtained by Fox News Digital, conservative groups that support the proposed legislation include Heritage Action, the International Women's Forum, Young America's Foundation, and the National Right to Work Committee.
Republican Reps. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mark Green of Tennessee, and Kat Cammack of Florida have also said they would support the bill, the outlet reported.
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