Hundreds of Jewish groups urge NEA to reject ADL ban
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Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 2024. Photo:
Nearly 400 Jewish organizations are urging the nation's largest teachers' union to reject a member-approved proposal that would sever ties with the civil rights group Anti-Defamation League (ADL) over the war in Gaza.
Why it matters: The proposal calls for the National Education Association (NEA) to no longer use ADL material on antisemitism and Holocaust education nor promote other ADL statistics or programs.
The big picture: An NEA executive committee still must approve the member-backed measure, but a diverse array of Jewish groups told the NEA in a letter Monday that the panel should reject that proposal.
- The groups want the NEA to issue a strong statement against antisemitism, which the organizations say is behind the proposal.
Catch up quick: NEA members voted last week to cut ties with the ADL at the 2025 Representative Assembly this week in Portland, Oregon.
- "NEA will not use, endorse, or publicize any materials from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), such as its curricular materials or its statistics," according to the proposal text.
- "NEA will not participate in ADL programs or publicize ADL professional development offerings."
State of play: In a letter signed by 378 Jewish organizations, the groups said the NEA measure would effectively boycott "ADL's widely respected anti-bias and Holocaust education curricula."
- That includes programs used in thousands of schools nationwide, the organizations said.
- "Calling for a National Education Association boycott of the (ADL) is an egregious example of the rising antisemitism in schools and society throughout North America," said Eric Fingerhut, Jewish Federations of North America President and CEO, said in a statement.
The latest: The NEA's committee is reviewing the measure, president Becky Pringle said in a statement.
- "That process has begun by meeting with a multitude of Jewish leaders, civil rights leaders, academic practitioners, and elected officials," Pringle said.
- Pringle added that she met with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt "to clarify NEA's process and restate our commitment to combating the rise of antisemitism in our society."
Zoom in: Because it was determined to be a "sanction item," the NEA proposal is an automatic referral to the NEA Executive Committee.
Context: The ADL has provided public schools with materials about the Holocaust, anti-hate training and antisemitism for four decades.
- It also provides an annual report on antisemitism in the U.S., which can also be shared in schools.
Caveat: If the NEA Executive Committee adopts the ADL ban, schools can still use ADL material.
Yes, but: It sets up potential future showdowns with local NEA unions and school districts if the war in Gaza continues.
What they're saying: "Excluding ADL's gold-standard educational resources is not just an attack on our organization – it's a dangerous attack on the entire Jewish community," Greenblatt said in a statement.
- The ADL confirmed before the letter's delivery on Monday, Greenblatt met with Pringle to address the issues raised in the letter.
- Both leaders agreed to continue discussions, the ADL said.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from NEA president Becky Pringle.
