Throughout the 1900s up to the present time, NEA positions have promoted social change from a liberal stance.  Beginning in the 1960s, NEA began a progression of increased political activity.  Government reports today show NEA as one of the top contributors to political campaigns and initiatives across America.

Power, Not Children: For over 40 years, Robert Chanin was General Counsel for the NEA and represented the NEA’s beliefs and agendas in many court cases, even at the Supreme Court level.  His views reflect the NEA’s views. In the 2009 NEA Representative Assembly, Mr. Chanin remarked in his retirement address about the NEA’s liberal stance:

“And that brings me to my final and most important-point, which is why, at least in my opinion, NEA and its affiliates are such effective advocates. NEA is effective due to its power, not because of caring about children. Despite what some among us would like to believe, it is not because of our creative ideas.  It is not because of the merit of our positions.  It is not because we care about children. And it is not because we have a vision of a "great public school for every child."

NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power. And we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them, the unions that can protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees.”

 NEA Robert Chanin Speaks on Power

“During the Bush administration, for example, NEA was audited by the Internal Revenue Service, repeatedly.   It was investigated by the Department of Labor.  And it was called a "terrorist organization" by the Secretary of Education.

Now that the Bush administration is history, that type of governmental harassment will stop, but attacks by conservative and right-wing groups will continue unabated.  The Landmark Legal Foundation will continue to file charges alleging that we have violated election campaign law.  The Right to Work Committee NEA’s liberal agenda is constantly being challenged by respected conservative and Christian organizationswill continue to file lawsuits accusing us of misusing agency fees.  The Heritage Foundation will continue to contend that we are guilty of financial malpractice.  And other opponents will continue to argue that paycheck protection statutes and ballot initiatives are necessary to protect Association members from unscrupulous union bosses who are seeking to coerce them into paying for political activities that they do not want to support - when, in fact, the supporters of paycheck protection don't give a rat's ass about the rights of Association members.

And just in case any of you may not have noticed, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Forbes magazine-they don't like US very much either.

Why, you may ask, is this so?  Why are these conservative and right-wing bastards picking on NEA and its affiliates?  I will tell you why. It is the price we pay for success.  NEA and its affiliates have been singled out because they are the most effective unions in the United States.  And they are the nation's leading advocates for public education and the type of liberal, social, and economic agenda that these groups find unacceptable.”

 NEA Robert Chanin Speaks Against Conservatives

 NEA Liberal Donations 

Re-ordering America: Terry Herndon, former NEA Executive Director, states succinctly the NEA’s ultimate agenda. 

“The ultimate goal of the NEA is to tap the legal, political and economic powers of the US Congress.  We want leaders and staff with sufficient clout that they may roam the halls of Congress and collect votes to re-order the priorities of the United States of America.”

This goal is not shared by many conservative Christians

Money in Politics: The NEA is extensively involved in politics to meet its stated goal “to re-order the priorities of the United States of America.”  A primary measure of the NEA’s political focus is its political donations.  Examine for yourself the political donation records from the NEA in 2007-2008:

• NEA led the nation in political donations in 2008 (NEA gave over $56 million dollars to fund political activities, the largest of any organization in America)  NEA First in Political Donations
• NEA’s substantial donations to federal political candidates  NEA Federal Donations
• NEA’s substantial state political donations   NEA State Donations

Do you approve of your union dues being used in this way?

Over 90% of Donations to One Political Party: The NEA has never endorsed a non-Democrat candidate running for president.  In addition, 93% of political donations are made to Democrat party candidates.  The NEA’s political stance is not representative of previous surveys of NEA members’ political party affiliation.    NEA Democrat Party

If you have been a member of NEA for several years, you may have received these communications from the NEA and state affiliate, attempting to direct your vote.  Members have publicly expressed their dissatisfaction with the organization's attempting to influence their vote, especially for agendas with which they don’t agree.