Largest US teachers’ union to host training that attacks Republicans as ‘racist and transphobic’
WASHINGTON — Members of the National Education Association (NEA), the biggest teachers’ union in the United States, are being accused of pushing a controversial training program that critics say mixes racism and transphobia.
A conservative watchdog group, Defending Education, released documents that show the NEA’s upcoming three‑day session, tentatively called “Advancing LGBTQ+ Justice and Transgender Advocacy.” The training is scheduled for December 2‑4 at an undisclosed location.
The materials issued by the NEA promise to help union staff “dismantle systems of privilege and oppression as it relates to LGBTQ+ educators and students.” Participants will reportedly learn how to spot and confront bias, micro‑aggressions, and stereotypes.
But Defending Education claims the curriculum takes a hard line against Republicans. The training’s packet includes a section that brands Republican lawmakers as using “racist dog whistles” and warns teachers to “evoke a “Race Class Gender Narrative” to push back.”
According to the documents, the training says that in the past decade Republicans have linked anti‑transgender politics with fear‑mongering about Critical Race Theory to rally supporters with “a potent mix of racist and transphobic tropes.”
One part of the guide urges teachers to use language that “pluralizes” gender. It advises staff to call the school community “our genders” or simply “genders,” to promote preferred pronoun usage in classrooms, and even to buy “pronoun pins” for school ID badges. The packets also contain a gender‑transition guide, complete with sample email templates that explain a teacher’s intention to transition.
“We’re seeing the NEA turn its training into a political attack, firing words at half the country,” said Erika Sanzi, the senior director of communications at Defending Education. “When they claim that only racism and transphobia can stop their ideology, they’re painting Republicans as villains.”
The NEA, which represents roughly 3 million teachers, has traditionally focused on improving education, raising teacher salaries, and protecting free‑speech rights in classrooms. Still, critics argue that the union’s recent political bets have moved it farther to the left. The organization has spent more than $43 million on political causes between 2022 and 2024, a figure that largely aligns with left‑leaning campaigns according to a Defending Education report.
Defending Education also points out that the NEA voted to sever ties with the Anti‑Defamation League earlier this year—a move that the ADL called “profoundly disturbing” amid a rise in anti‑Semitism nationwide.
NEA representatives have not yet commented on the new material, but the union has embraced a politically active stance over the past decade, encouraging members to contribute to campaigns while stipulating that political activities should not be “outrageous and offensive.”
The controversy taps into a broader national debate over how teachers approach social justice topics in schools. While supporters of the NEA training say it aims to create more inclusive and understanding classrooms, opponents fear that the program pushes a partisan message that could polarize teachers and students alike.
As educational institutions consider how to handle issues of race, gender, and identity, all sides are watching the NEA’s next steps. If the union follows through with its December training, it will set a new precedent for how teacher unions engage with political and cultural topics. The outcome may influence lawmakers, school districts, and parents across the country.
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