Republican lawmakers are swinging a legislative axe at the National Education Association’s federal charter. North Carolina Rep. Mark Harris and Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn unveiled the National Education Association Charter Repeal Act, aiming to strip the nation’s largest teachers’ union of its congressional blessing, as Fox News reports. The move, detailed Tuesday in The Daily Caller, signals a conservative push to rein in what they see as a politicized behemoth.
Harris and Blackburn’s bill, set for introduction in both the House and Senate, targets the NEA after its recent convention veered into political quicksand. The legislation responds to reports that the union prioritized divisive political stances over educational priorities at its annual meeting earlier this month. Ten House Republicans have already signed on as co-sponsors, signaling robust party support.
The NEA’s convention resolutions, leaked by education activist Corey DeAngelis, sparked the uproar. One resolution clumsily branded President Donald Trump a “fascist” -- misspelling it as “facism” -- and vowed to smear his agenda in union materials. Another decried efforts to dismantle the Department of Education as “illegal, anti-democratic, and racist,” accusing reformers of pushing privatization for billionaire gain.
Harris didn’t mince words, calling the NEA a “partisan advocacy group” that’s lost its way. “From branding President Trump a fascist to embracing divisive gender ideology and walking away from efforts to fight antisemitism, the NEA has become nothing more than a partisan advocacy group,” he told The Daily Caller. Such rhetoric proves the union’s more interested in woke crusades than classroom success, critics argue.
The NEA’s resolutions read like a progressive manifesto, not a teachers’ playbook. Labeling Trump a fascist -- spelled wrong, no less -- shows a union more focused on political theater than teaching kids to spell. The misstep hands conservatives a juicy talking point to paint the NEA as sloppy and ideologically obsessed.
Blackburn and Harris argue the NEA’s federal charter, a rare congressional nod, no longer fits. “Since the NEA is clearly not prioritizing students, parents or even teachers, it’s time to remove Congress’ seal of approval from this rogue organization,” Harris told The Daily Caller. Revoking the charter would symbolically demote the union, stripping its privileged status.
This isn’t the first Republican jab at the NEA’s charter. In 2022, Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald and Indiana Sen. Jim Banks pushed a similar effort to yank the union’s congressional approval. That attempt fizzled, but the renewed push suggests conservatives smell blood in the water.
The NEA, representing millions of educators, wields immense influence over public education policy. Its federal charter, granted by Congress, is a badge of legitimacy that few organizations enjoy. Critics argue it’s a relic the NEA no longer deserves, given its hard left turn.
Harris confirmed the bill’s momentum on his X account, rallying support for the cause. The involvement of ten House co-sponsors shows the legislation isn’t a lone wolf effort but a coordinated GOP offensive. The Senate’s backing, led by Blackburn, adds bipartisan chamber heft.
The leaked resolutions from DeAngelis lit the fuse for this legislative showdown. One resolution’s attack on Department of Education reform as “racist” and “anti-democratic” reeks of fearmongering, conservatives say. It’s a desperate bid to protect a bloated bureaucracy from scrutiny, they argue.
The NEA’s anti-Trump tirade, complete with a spelling gaffe, only deepens the conservative case. If the union can’t spell “fascism” correctly, how can it be trusted to shape young minds? The irony isn’t lost on critics who see the NEA as more activist than educator.
Fox News Digital sought comment from Harris, Blackburn, and the NEA, but responses remain pending. The silence from the union suggests it’s caught flat-footed by the GOP’s swift move. Or perhaps it’s crafting a defense for its increasingly political posture.
The National Education Association Charter Repeal Act is a shot across the bow of progressive overreach in education. Conservatives argue the NEA’s focus on gender ideology and anti-Trump crusades betrays its mission to serve teachers and students. The bill, if passed, would send a clear message: unions don’t get a free pass to play politics.
Public education’s woes -- falling test scores, parental distrust -- aren’t helped by the NEA’s antics, critics say. By doubling down on divisive issues, the union alienates the very families it claims to serve. The GOP’s bill aims to hold it accountable, charter or no charter.
The fight over the NEA’s charter is more than symbolic -- it’s a battle over who controls education’s soul. Republicans, emboldened by the union’s missteps, see a chance to curb its influence. Whether the bill passes or not, it’s a bold stand against woke creep in America’s classrooms.
