To sign on: bit.ly/NBI39SIGNON
Dear President Pringle, Vice President Moss, Secretary-Treasurer Candelaria, members of the NEA Executive Board and Board of Directors:
We, the undersigned organizers, activists, unions, and organizations, condemn the National Education Association (NEA) leadership’s decision to strike down New Business Item 39, as voted on by the NEA Representative Assembly (RA):
“NEA will not use, endorse, or publicize any materials from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), such as its curricular materials or its statistics. NEA will not participate in ADL programs or publicize ADL professional development offerings.”
The decision by senior leadership to ignore the will of the wider member body shows a flagrant disregard for union values of collective empowerment and democracy. While NEA leadership claims it consulted with both Jewish and Muslim community groups on this issue, it is effectively promoting the ADL’s antisemitic belief that Jewish people are a monolith.
We celebrate the historic vote by the RA and see it for what it is – an indicator of a rising sea change within U.S. labor around Palestine. At this very moment, every adult and child in Gaza is enduring famine and facing imminent death. The genocide and ethnic cleansing by Israel continues as you read this. Unions in Palestine, including teachers’ unions, have asked their union siblings worldwide for solidarity as they endure Israeli genocide. NEA leadership has fallen woefully short. Now more than ever, we must not be distracted by bad-faith claims of antisemitism designed to undermine resistance to that genocide. We are proud of the RA delegates who pushed this vote forward, at significant risk to their livelihoods and safety, and we celebrate their victory.
First and foremost, the ADL’s practices, rooted in supporting Zionist supremacy, deeply conflict with the NEA’s mission and core values. The ADL’s materials promote anti-democratic and biased claims, which undermine students’ and educators’ ability to offer and receive a quality education. For example, the ADL’s treatment of antisemitism begins with its definition, which relies on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, which falsely conflates critiques of Zionism and the Israeli state with antisemitism—a claim rejected by Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow, and other Jewish organizations.
The ADL has demonized and doxxed those who have rejected this conflation, including students, educators and the NEA’s own members. These practices threaten students’ ability to learn and engage with diverse cultures and histories, including Jewish culture and history, at the risk of being punished and their character questioned. We believe that the NEA has a responsibility to help fight actual antisemitism—eminating from the far right—by using and recommending justice-oriented curricula and training aligned with its mission.
Second, the ADL’s actions are inconsistent with the fundamental NEA principle that “public education is vital to building respect for the worth, dignity, and equality of every individual in our diverse society”, including those of Palestinian descent.
The ADL’s actions have long been in support of the State of Israel specifically, rather than the reduction of hate-bias incidents more generally. Unfortunately, the organization broadly characterizes support for the Palestinian people as antisemitic, and smears any valid critique of the ongoing genocide including by reputable genocide scholars. By undermining genocide scholars, global institutions such as the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations, the ADL propels violence against Palestinians – including educators, students, and union members – in Gaza, the West Bank, and here at home. This is a form of educational violence, too: using their materials can condition students and educators to believe that the ADL is the sole reputable source of identifying antisemitism on the planet, and that any deviation from their ideas threatens Jewish safety. Students cannot truly respect the “worth, dignity, and equality of every individual” if they are taught that some lives are more valuable than others. There is no place for resources supporting supremacy, segregation, fascism, apartheid, or genocide in our schools.
The ADL’s devaluing of human life is unfortunately not new. In the 1940s and 1950s, it collaborated with the House Un-American Activities Committee to discredit and blacklist Americans, including many union organizers. During South Africa’s fight against apartheid, it labeled the anti-apartheid African National Congress, led by Nelson Mandela, as “totalitarian, anti-humane, anti-democratic, anti-Israel, and anti-American.” More recently, the organization diverted their resources away from lessons on racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
Additionally, since 2023, the ADL has removed over 100 lesson plans on a range of topics from transgender identity to school integration. Danielle Bryant, a former education director at the ADL, stated in March, 2025, “I watched from the inside as the ADL erased racial justice from its civil rights priorities, caved to pressure from conservative media for being ‘too woke’, and quietly abandoned core education programs.” Three months later, in June, the ADL laid off 22 employees acknowledging a shift away from civil rights and public policy. These are not the actions of an organization working in the best interest of all at-risk that has the best interest of any students. Contrary to the NEA’s desire to help students be “involved, informed, and engaged,” the ADL has attempted to impair student involvement, misinform the public, and threaten those who engage in democratic discussion and activism that does not subscribe to the organization’s ideas.
The rejection of ADL materials as a resource to fight against antisemitism is a decision that is established in a shared commitment to justice, universal human rights, and educational equity.
In recent years, and especially since Israel sharply escalated its genocidal campaign in Gaza, the ADL has dramatically escalated its attempt to smear opposition to Israeli genocide as antisemitism. For example: according to the ADL’s own “HEAT Map” tool, On November, 11, 2024, at a Free Palestine protest at American University, a message was displayed stating “resist colonial power by any means necessary.” The ADL purports that these messages are antisemitic and that student activists speaking up for Palestinian human rights all over the country are creating a hostile environment for Jewish students. While antisemitism is on the rise, it is coming from growing right wing fascism, Christian Nationalism, and white supremacists, not advocates for Palestinian liberation. Additionally, these examples are then used as justification to publicly smear individuals and lobby public officials. Concurrently, the organization has publicly supported the Trump administration’s attack on international students who oppose Israeli genocide, a policy inseparable from intensifying ICE raids and ethnic cleansing that terrorize migrants, and which have been publicly denounced by NEA President Pringle as doing “irreversible harm on our students.”
Lastly, we want to acknowledge the immense value of upholding the most basic labor principle, An Injury to One Is an Injury to All, by democratically voting not to cross the Palestinian trade union picket line against Zionist settler colonialism and genocide. The rank-and-file NEA members, those that spend the most time with students, voted to drop the ADL. It was a mistake for NEA leadership, which purports to support a Gaza ceasefire and an arms embargo on Israel, to overturn this decision, and we hope you will reflect on this and change course.
We urge NEA Leadership to listen to your membership. While you have made a mistake in overturning NBI 39, we trust educators will continue to advocate for justice and the people of Palestine, and you will be given many opportunities to remedy your error.
This is the moment, on this 654th day of genocide, when we need more people stepping into leadership roles to protect students and our humanity everywhere, and what better organization to do that than the NEA.
We have included alternative resources to address rising antisemitism below and urge you to share these with local NEA chapters.
Alternative Resources
Curriculum on Antisemitism from a Framework of Collective Liberation
Resources: Build your school’s own expertise in antiracism & social justice
Criteria: How to choose credible, principled sources on racism and antisemitism
Understanding Antisemitism: A Holistic Approach
Examining the ADL’s Antisemitism Audit
In solidarity,
[Signatories as of August 25, 2025]
–
Organizations and Unions
14 Friends of Palestine, Marin
18 Million Rising
99 Coalition
About Face: Veterans Against the War
Adalah Justice Project
AFT/AAUP LOCAL 6741, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
Arab American Cultural Center of Silicon Valley
Alexandria for Palestine
American Party of Labor
Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC)
Arlington for Palestine
ASKESP
Austin for Palestine Coalition
Bay Area Labor for Palestine
Caliber Workers Union
California Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education
CalSTRS Divest
Carolina Jewish for Justice – D/OC Community Safety Working Group
Center for Economic Democracy
Chicago Educators for Palestine
Coalition of Educators for Change
Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies
CODEPINK
CODEPINK Central Coast
The Council of University of California Faculty Associations
Democratic Socialists of America
Democrats For Palestinian Rights – Bay Area
DMV chapter of the International Jewish Labor Bund
Drop the ADL from Schools
Fairfax for Palestine
FLI
Friends of Swazi Freedom
FSJP at UCSF
Healthcare Workers for Palestine
Hindus for Human Rights
IATSE Members for Palestine
Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
Irish Americans for Palestine
Irish Americans for Palestine – DMV Chapter
JEAAAN: Jewish Educators Against Actual Antisemitism Now
Jewish Anti-Zionist Educators
Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
Jews Insisting: Stop the Genocide of Palestinians Now
Jewish Voice for Peace
Jewish Voice for Peace – DC Metro
Jewish Voice for Peace – Los Angeles
Jewish Voice for Peace – New Haven
Jewish Voice for Peace – Sacramento
Justice For All
KARAMA
LA Educators for Justice in Palestine
Labor for Palestine National Network
Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Consortium (LESMCC)
Lower Merion Alliance for Free Speech on Palestine
Majdal Arab Community Center of San Diego
Marin County Green Party County Council
MARUF CT (Muslim Advocacy for Rights, Unity, and Fairness)
MD2Palestine
MidEast: Just Peace
Minnesota Anti-War Committee
Minnesota (MN) Educators for Palestine
MN Labor for Palestine
Montgomery County Jewish Collective
Montgomery County Palestine Solidarity Network
Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center
MTA Rank and File for Palestine
National Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine
New Mexico Jews for a Free Palestine
Northern Virginia Branch DSA (NoVA)
NYC Educators for Palestine
Oregon Education Association
Palestinian Feminist Collective
Palestinian Youth Movement
PARCEO
Partners For Palestine
Portland Association of Teachers
Prince George’s 4 Palestine
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
Rabbis for Ceasefire
Ramallah Club of Metro Detroit
Right to Reject Zionism
Santa Fe Jews for Justice Education committee
SCU
Showing Up for Racial Justice Northern Virginia
SUNY BDS
SUNY BDS Buffalo
SUNY BDS Labor Alliance
Teachers 4 Social Justice
Texas Young Active Labor Leaders (YALL Texas)
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
UPTE Members for Palestine
QUIT! (Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism)
UCSF Faculty Association
UESF
United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR)
University of Washington AAUP chapter
Virginia for Palestine
We Keep Us Safe: Alexandria
Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento
Writers Against the War on Gaza
–
Individuals and Organizers
Abir Ismail, NEA Member
Adam Barrington
Adam Morrow, NEA Member
Adam Rzepka
Adel Alazazi
AJ Pluss
Aki
Al Long
Alejandra Marchevsky, NEA Member
Alex Feldt, NEA Member
Alex Mayka
Alex Mitov
Ali Navid, NEA Member
Ali Sakr
Alice Golin
Alice Slater
Alina Nieves
Amal Shahin
Amanda Bloom
Amanda Metsala, NEA Member
Amani Elkassabany, NEA Member
Amelia Bjorklund, NEA Member
Amrita Burdick
Amy
Amy Truong-Vargas, NEA Member
Andrea Adame
Andrea DAngelo
Andrea Lints
Andrés Morera
Andrew Hambre-Cook
Angela Harris
Angela Wolf
Anna Marie Stenberg
Anna Rowe, NEA Member
Anne Forrester
Ari Corr
Ari Jewell, NEA Member
Ari Stocking
Arun Khanna
Ashley
Asma Elhuni
Aubrey Jabour
Aubrey Straub
Azura Haley
Barbara Howard
Barbara Parmet
Barry Ingber
Barry Trachtenberg
Bassam Bamieh
Bassam Haddad
Becca Friedland, NEA Member
Becky Stoeckel
Benjamin Robinson
Benjamin Vazquez – Mayor Pro Tem of Santa Ana, NEA Member
Beth Baker
Beth Bruch
Bill V. Mullen
Bonnie Lockhart
Brad Bruce
Brady Niemitalo Woods
Brandon I. Gernux, NEA Member
Brendan Work
Bri Price, NEA Member
Brian Brown
Brian Crowell, NEA Member
Brian Weldon
Brian Zauber Reed, NEA Member
Briana James
Bruce Hlodnicki, MD
Bruce Patt
Bryan Cockrell, NEA Member
Caitlin Schroering
Caitlyn Cibulsky
Candiss Youngblood, NEA Member
Caoimhín Perkins
Carla Schick
Carlos Hagedorn
Carly Kol
Carly Rose Bretl
Carmen Valdes
Caro Pemberton
Carol Foster
Carol Furlan
Caroline Light
Carrie Sullivan, NEA Member
Cat Wahl
Catharine Slover
Catherine Bock
Catherine Judge
Charlene Marie Culbertson
Chelsea Woods
Chris Giessner
Christiane Riederer
Christina Harb
Christina Moyer
Christopher Jewell
Cindy McPherson
Cole Lee
Cole Papadopoulos
Colette Cavanagh
Colin Gallagher
Corey Weinstein
Corinna Obermayr, NEA Member
Cory Cochrane, NEA Member
Craig B. Jones
Craig Gordon, NEA Member
Cynthia Avina, NEA Member
Cynthia Franklin
Dahlia Eltoumi
Daniel Segal
Danielle Kolker, NEA Member
David Barlavi, NEA Member
David Brakman
David Letwin
David Mandel
David Manel
David Vassar
David Walton
Dawn Warmbrand
Dean Braeman
Dean Braeman
Deb Gesualdo, NEA Member
Debbie Blane
Debbie Duenas
Deborah Condon
Deborah Duenas
Deborah Potter
Debra Tackney, NEA Member
Debra Walker
Deni Asnis
Deni Asnis, NEA Member
Denise Beck
Denise Larsen
Devin Swanson
Deyar Jamil
Diana Block
Diana Venegas
Dina Saba
Donald Quick, NEA Member
Donna Thomas
Dorothea Laster
Dr. Ednie Kaeh Garrison, NEA Member
Dr. Oscar Fabian Soto
Dr. Xylem Galadhon
Egbert Harmsen
Eliana
Elicia Yoffee
Eliza Beth
Elizabeth Conn
Elizabeth Lee
Ellen Brotsky
Emmaia Gelman
Eric Daigre
Erika Strauss Chavarria – Former NEA Director
Estee Chandler
Eva Thorp, AFT/AAUP Member
Evan Morrisey
Eve Hershcopf
Ever Flores, NEA Member
Fadi Saba
Fadi Saba, NEA Member
Felicity Figueroa
Geoffery Johnson, NEA Member
Gigi Whisler, NEA Member
Gillian Claycomb, NEA Member
Gillian Russom, NEA Member
Gloryann
Govind Srivastav
Grace Nina
Gracy Obuchowicz
Graeme Pletscher
Graham Cruickshank
Greg Tichenor, NEA Member
Gregory King, NEA Member
Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona, NEA Member
Hailey Bruce
Hailey De Marre, NEA Member
Hala L. Bouhafa
Hasan Isham
Heather Mazen Korbmacher
Holly Cobb
Hooman Hedayati
Hugh T. Keleher
Iris Mendoza, NEA Member
J Gabriella Heinsheimer
Jake Engels, NEA Member
Jake Miller, NEA Member
Jake Miller, NEA Member
Jamie Seibel
Jan Nespor
Jane Hornsby, NEA Member
Jane Jewell
Janet Winston
Jared Simon
Jasmine C
Jay Falconer, NEA Member
Jean Halley
Jennifer Albright, NEA Member
Jennifer Lee Hall, NEA member
Jenny Craig, NEA Member
Jeremy Eugene
Jesica Tapia
Jillian March
Jim Barton
Jim Best
JL Angell
Joal Truong-Vargas
Joan Batista, NEA Member
Joanna Robledo-Maderazo, NEA Member
Joanna Vaughn
Jocelyn E. Goldsmith- De Sena, SEIU 1021 member
Jody Sokolower
Joey Shemuel, MD
John Reuss
John Roche
John Stuparitz
Jon Autiello
Jonah Lounds, NEA Member
Jonah Olson, NEA Member
Jonathan Oyaga, NEA Member
Jonathan Weinstock
Jordan Else
Jordan Hanson, NEA Member
Jorge Coronado
José Francisco Negrete
Joshua
Joya Musa, NEA Member
Judith Polson, NEA Member
Judith Poxon
Julie A Carlson
Julie Morehouse, NEA Member
Kai Smith
Kaitlin Amorde
Kaitlyn Solar, NEA Member
Karen Perkins, NEA Member
Karen Platt
Karen Zapata, NEA Member
Kari Aist
Karim Mattar
Kate McClain
Katherine Davis
Kathleen Kosobud, NEA Member
Kathryn Hopps
Katie Rainwater, NEA Member
Kaytie Kamphoff, NEA Member
Keith Thompson
Kelly Flores, NEA Member
Kelly Mendoza, NEA Member
Kelsey Roehner, NEA Member
Ken Habib
Kevin Carlson, NEA Member
Kevin Keogan, NEA Member
Kevin Loss, NEA Member
Kevin Lowe
Kevin Murphy
Kevin Sullivan
Kieron
Kim Anno
Kobi Guillory
Kristie Mahin
Lainie Keper
Lana Istwani
Laura Gluckman
Laura Hayek
Laura Kate Stevenson, NEA Member
Laura Saunders
Laura Spitzfaden
Lauren Godbey
Laurie Hughes
Laurie Wager
Leah di Tullio
Leah Horowitz
Leanne Friedman
Lee Greenberg-Torres
Lee Greenberg-Torres
Leigh Kimberg, MD
Lina Smith, NEA Member
Linda Milazzo, NEA Member
Lindsay Armstrong
Lisa Dornacker, NEA Member
Lisa Hajjar
Lisa Lai
Liz Blum
Liz Cabrera Holtz
Llyr R Heller
Lou Hines
Lucie Baker, NEA Member
Lucy Shen
Luis Mora, NEA Member
Luz Elena Henao
M. Abowitz
M. Coulter
M’Daya Meliani
Magali Kincaid
Maggie Dawes, NEA Member
Maggie Vascassenno
Magret Nunes, NEA Member
Maher Chebib
Mandy Shunnarah
Manzar Foroohar
Marah Lieberman
Marcia Bingaman
Marco Dregni, NEA Member
Marcy Newman
Marcy Winograd, NEA Member
Margaret Hawley-Lowry, NEA Member
Margot Goldstein, NEA Member
María Avalos
Maria Karsou
Maria Karsou
Marianne Lombardo
Marilyn Frankenstein, NEA Member
Maritza Avila, NEA Member
Mark Kleiman
Mark LeVine
Marta Neely, NEA Member
Martha Schoolman, NEA Member
Mary Hershberger
Mary McQuirter
Mary Michel
Mathilde Walker
Matthew Van Duyn, NEA Member
Maya Steinhart, NEA Member
Meg Sandow
Meira Salman
Melissa Ambrose
Meredith Aby
Meredith Newton
Merrie Najimy, NEA Member
Michael Bristol, NEA Member
Michael Drexler
Michael Friedman
Michael Grant
Michael Letwin, former President, UAW 2325; Co-Convener, Labor for Palestine National Network
Michael Potter
Michael Shores
Michael Van Roy
Michael, NEA Member
Michelle Fine
Mick Nguyen
Mike Rodriguez, NEA Member
Mike Stemle
Mikhail Pronilover
Milo Matthews
Mindy Greenspan
Miriam Kaplan
Miura Hawkins
MJ Maynes
MJ Nary
Mona Masri
Monica Bond-Lamberty, NEA Member
Monica West-Jones, NEA Member
Mossy Kennedy, NEA Member
Ms. Unique Clay
Naaima Khan
Nadia Afifi
Nadia Carrell
Nadia Swanson
Naeem Alam
Najma Bachelani
Nancy Fleischer
Nancy Har Almendras, NEA Member
Nancy Scherr
Nasser Abourahme
Natalia Deeb-Sossa
Natalie Johnson
Natasha Saleski, NEA Member
Nate Hart-Andersen, NEA Member
Nathaniel Landry
Nathaniel Mills
Natt
Nawal Tufail
Ndindi Kitonga
Neepa Maitra
Neil Radford, NEA Member
Nell
Nick Hauser, NEA Member
Nicolás Tomsio
Nicole Fountain
Nicole Katz
Nikki Norton Nelmark
Nina Felshin
Noah Levitt
Noam Szoke, NEA Member
Nora Elsokkary
Nora Lester Murad
Nydia Leaf
Olivia Udovic
Omar G
Pamela McInnes
Pat Kanzler
Patricia Valaer, NEA Member
Patrick Hartley
Paul McLennan
Peter Oppenheimer
Philip Metres
Phylis Hoffman, NEA Member
Qudsia Lone
Quinn Keck
Rachel Storm
Rae Abileah
Rae Gaines
Raida Gatten
Ralph Chaney
Ramana Gasch
Ramez Haddadin
Rana Gasser
Rebecca Vaughan, NEA Member
Rebekah
Rel Schoonover
Renée Agatsuma, NEA Member
Reyna Crow
Rice Rodriguez
Richard Burton
Rick Sterling
Rita Kernacs
RJ
Robert Bookhart
Robert Cassanello, NEA Member
Robert Finnegan
Robert Perrone
Roger Stoll
Rona Armillas
Roseann Saah, NEA Member
Rosita V.
Rowan Grayson, NEA Member
Rula, NEA Member
Ruth Reyes, NEA Member
Ryan
Ryan Stevenson
Ryn Ramirez
Sabrina H
Sam Rasoul, VA State Rep
Sam S, NEA Member
Sam Weinstein
Samantha Iyer
Samantha Parsons
Samuel Silverman
Sang Kil
Sang Kil, NEA Member
Saoirse Russell
Sara Duran
Sara Katz
Sara Kershnar
Sara Smith-Smith
Sarah B, NEA Member
Sarah Engeldinger, NEA Member
Sarah Ibrahim
Sarah Klepner
Sarah, NEA Member
Sasha Ali
Savannah Kilner
Sayuri Valenza, NEA Member
Scott Steward
Sean Frame
Serena Becker
Sergio Robledo-Maderazo, NEA Member
Seth Donnelly, NEA Member
Seth Morrison
Shaheen Khurana
Sharon Conlon
Sharon Garcia
Shayna Hawk
Sheer Ganor
Sheila Hanley, NEA Member
Sheila O’Brien
Shelley D. Wong
Shoshana Gurian-Sherman, NEA Member
Sidney Hollingsworth
Silva Nahhas
Sky Segal-Wright
Sonia Nuñez-Gibbs, NEA Member
Sonja Wilde-de Vries, NEA Member
Sophia Shin, NEA Member
St. Onge
Stefanie Skiljan, NEA Member
Stephanie Schaudel
Stephen Gasteyer, NEA Member
Stephen P Gasteyer
Steve Ghannam
Sue Doherty, NEA Member
Sumter A, NEA Member
Susan Morrissey
Susanne Zwingel, NEA Member
Susie Landrum
Tammy Lettieri
Tania Ibrahim
Tania Mustafa
Tanya Alcala, NEA Member
Tasha Pasternack, NEA Member
Taylor Gibson, NEA Member
Ted Rutland
Teri Caraway
Terri Ginsberg, NEA Member
Tevita ‘Uhatafe
Theodore Griswold
Theresa Montaño
Theresa Tauer
Thomas Kallarackal
Thomas Pedroni
Tracy Luu
Treasure Thoreson
Troy Shinbrot
Valentina Pereda
Vanessa Hernandez, NEA Member
Vanessa Meraki, NEA Member
Vanessa Woodard
Veena
Vera Tykulsker
Victoria Estrella
Vina McDermott, BCBA
Wesley Parish
William Cox
William I Robinson
Winifred Dajani
Yajaira Cuapio, NEA Member
Zach Hermsen, NEA Member
Zachary Levenson, NEA Member
Zack Markowitz
Zahid Mehmood
Zakia Kator
Zarouhie Abdalian
–
This letter is organized by NEA members & allies.
#DropTheADL 