Latest news with #NationalEducationAssociation
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
NEA halts bid to cut ties with Jewish organization
With help from Rebecca Carballo NEA BACKS OFF — The National Education Association's top brass shot down their members' bid to block future work with the Anti-Defamation League following criticism from Jewish organizations and renewed conservative scrutiny of the union's congressional charter. — NEA President Becky Pringle, in a lengthy statement issued late Friday, said the union's board of directors and executive committee voted against a proposal members narrowly approved for consideration on July 5 during the union's annual assembly of thousands of local representatives. — 'We consulted with NEA state affiliates and civil rights leaders, including Jewish American and Arab American community leaders, and we also met with ADL leadership,' Pringle said. 'After consideration, it was determined that this proposal would not further NEA's commitment to academic freedom, our membership, or our goals.' — Union delegates had recommended the NEA 'not use, endorse, or publicize any materials from the Anti-Defamation League' such as curricular materials or statistics, while blocking the union from participating in ADL programs or publicizing the organization's professional development offerings. — The proposal to preempt ties with a prominent Jewish advocacy organization highlighted ongoing internal union divisions over the Israel-Gaza war that threatened to disrupt the NEA's planned endorsement of Joe Biden's campaign last year. — 'This resolution was not just an attack on the ADL, but a larger attack against Jewish educators, students, and families,' ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations COO Stephanie Hausner, and Jewish Federations of North America Executive Vice President Shira Hutt said Friday in a joint statement. — 'While teachers' unions have little power to dictate curriculum, divisive campaigns to boycott reputable, centrist Jewish organizations and educators normalize antisemitic isolation, othering, and marginalization of Jewish teachers, students and families in our schools,' they said. — Republican lawmakers further cited the proposal as added fodder for longrunning attempts to strip the NEA of a congressional charter — a type of formal recognition the union has received alongside dozens of other private or quasi-governmental nonprofit organizations. — 'The National Education Association has made it crystal clear it's a partisan organization, and it shouldn't be rewarded with a federal charter that platforms woke gender ideology, antisemitism, and left-wing propaganda,' Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said last week as she introduced the latest Republican bill to erase the NEA's charter. — Pringle responded that 'without equivocation, NEA stands strongly against antisemitism.' But she acknowledged debate over a destructive and prolonged conflict will continue among students, educators, religious leaders and politicians. — 'Not adopting this proposal is in no way an endorsement of the ADL's full body of work,' Pringle said Friday. 'We are calling on the ADL to support the free speech and association rights of all students and educators.' IT'S MONDAY, JULY 21. WELCOME TO WEEKLY EDUCATION. Congressional Republicans really like the 2017 Trump tax cuts. It's why the 'big, beautiful bill' costs so much. Reach out with tips to today's host at jperez@ and also my colleagues Becca Carballo (rcarballo@ Bianca Quilantan (bquilantan@ and Mackenzie Wilkes (mwilkes@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Education Department REJECTED — The Education Department will reject nearly a half-million applications from people seeking to make lower payments on their student loans, Becca reports. — The agency will deny 460,000 federal student loan borrowers who selected the lowest monthly option for a payment plan based on their income. They make up about 31 percent of a 1.5 million application backlog for borrowers who are seeking Income-Driven Repayment, one of many options typically available for borrowers having difficulty paying back their loans. — An Education Department spokesperson said the lowest monthly payment option was the SAVE Plan, a Biden-era plan that would cap payments at 5 percent of the borrower's discretionary income for undergraduate loans and 10 percent for graduate loans. It has been blocked by the courts since June 2024. — 'Loan servicers cannot process these applications as SAVE is no longer an option, as it is illegal,' a department spokesperson said. — The agency is introducing two new payment plans and phasing out the matrix of current options as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping reconciliation legislation. His administration has railed against SAVE for being a burden to taxpayers and called for simplifying the loan repayment process as part of a broader strategy to reshape how students borrow and pay back loans. White House CHECK PLEASE — The Trump administration will release some fiscal 2025 funds that help pay for summer and after-school programs today, which could help ease an immediate budget crunch facing local school systems while billions of dollars in additional federal aid are still being withheld by the White House. — An Office of Management and Budget review of the Education Department's 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is complete, according to a senior administration official who said the money — estimated to total approximately $1.3 billion — will be distributed as expected. — Education Department officials said the money will be sent to governments on Monday, according to notices shared with federal and local officials that were obtained by POLITICO. — The department, however, warned states to ensure the money is spent in accordance with existing federal civil rights and anti-discrimination laws — or risk 'appropriate enforcement action.' The agency also intends to review how the program's money is used 'to ensure ongoing compliance,' officials said. — Billions in federal education funding is still being withheld by the White House. Funds devoted to teacher training, migrant student education and other initiatives are under continued scrutiny as part of Trump's broader agenda of scrutinizing matters related to immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. — 'These are the programs that we have some of the gravest concerns with regarding the Education Department,' OMB Director Russ Vought told reporters last week during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. — 'You have a preschool program that doesn't do any preschool funding, all it does is indoctrination of 4-year-olds of [critical race theory],' Vought said. 'You have school improvement programs that are indoctrinating teachers to be cultural revolutionaries in the classroom. So we have concerns with these programs, so they're the ones that we're going to study the most.' — Final decisions related to the billions of dollars in pending federal aid have not yet been made, department officials said on Friday. Two dozen and the District of Columbia states sued the Trump administration last week to challenge the delayed funding. Prominent Republicans are also challenging the administration to release the funds. STUDENT DEBT CHANGE IS COMING — The Education Department is outlining some expected immediate changes to federal student aid programs now that Trump's domestic policy megabill has been signed into law. — Regulations and guidance on other education provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are also expected later this year. Here's what to expect now, according to a Dear Colleague letter issued by the department on Friday. — Changes to income-based repayment: The law removes the requirement for borrowers to demonstrate a partial financial hardship in order to enroll in IBR. — Parent PLUS loan repayment options: Borrowers with a consolidation loan that have already repaid a parent PLUS loan will be able to enroll in an IBR plan when the law is enacted. More information and updates will be posted on — Loan limits for part-time students: The law reduces how much students can borrow if they are not enrolled full time. This reduction will be based on how long the student isn't enrolled full time. The department is currently developing a schedule and will submit it to the public later this year. — Public Service Loan Forgiveness: The Repayment Assistance Plan, which will be implemented no later than July of next year, will be a qualifying plan for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. — Biden-era regs: The department will be undoing changes the Biden administration made to borrower defense and closed school discharge regulations. Read the department's full letter. Report Roundup — Nearly one-third of the nation's K-12 public schools mandate mental health screening for students, according to a newly-published study led by RAND Corporation researchers that suggests there are multiple barriers to mental health screening in schools. Nearly 41 percent of principals surveyed in October 2024 said it was very hard or somewhat hard to ensure that students receive appropriate care, while roughly 38 percent said it was easy or very easy to find adequate care for students. Syllabus — As Harvard and Trump head to court, the government piles on the pressure: The New York Times — George Mason president discriminated against white people after George Floyd protests, Justice Dept. says: The Chronicle of Higher Education — 'Congress swung for the fences on school choice and hit a single': Education Next — 28 bills, Ten Commandments and 1 source: A Christian right 'bill mill': The 74 — Chatbots in the classroom: How AI is reshaping higher education: Financial Times
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
National Education Association to host largest convention in Portland history
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The largest convention ever held in Portland is about to get underway. The National Education Association's annual meeting will feature more than 7,000 educators from across the country in Northeast Portland. Jury reaches verdict on 4 of 5 counts in Diddy trial but is told to keep deliberating The three-day conference officially begins Thursday and runs through the Fourth of July weekend at the Oregon Convention Center. The NEA is the largest labor organization in the U.S. The delegates attending are expected to generate about $18 million in business through meals, shopping, hotels, and coach buses. Chinese national in Oregon accused of gathering intel on US Navy for People's Republic of China Portland — despite its struggle to recover since Covid — was selected by the NEA two years ago for the 2025 convention. 'We are here in Portland because of the kind invitation we received,' said NEA Vice President Princess Moss. 'Everyone has been bending over backwards here for our 7000 delegates to be here and to do the work of the National Education Association. And like I said, you've got some incredible educators who live and work in Portland and around the state of Oregon.' Moss said the NEA wants 'to be able to celebrate them and to learn from them and to communicate with them so that we can lean into the theme of our current convention, which is resilience, power and respect.' Marcus Hibdon with Travel Portland said they bring groups in early to look at the city and see the potential for what could happen at the convention and how it could attract people. 'We think with the NEA this weekend, it's done a great job. There's more than 7000 people attending. It's about $18.5 million worth of spending in our community,' Hibdon told KOIN 6 News. 'So it's a big deal for Portland, and it's happening during a very busy, one of the best weekends of the summer — over the 4th of July. We have the Waterfront Blues Festival going on.' And the Oregon NEA is thrilled to have the convention in town. 'What we're learning is that educators across the country are coming to Oregon to celebrate our successes,' said Enrique Farrera, the president-elect of the Oregon Education Association. 'But at the same time, we want to send a message to all Oregonians that we deeply care about Oregon students from all regions of the state at the same time that the National Education Association has our back.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Hundreds rally against Trump administration at ‘Good Trouble' Loop gathering
Hundreds of protesters demonstrated against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies in the Loop on Thursday as part of nationwide 'Good Trouble Lives On' rallies, decrying cuts to social services, mass deportation strategy and restrictions on civil liberties. A group of about 60 demonstrators left Federal Plaza about 4:30 p.m., chanting 'Trump must go now' as they marched up Dearborn Street before joining a larger main crowd at Daley Plaza a half hour later. The chain of national protests denouncing Trump's agenda was named for a term coined by the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., who died in 2020. A civil rights activist, Lewis also participated in the 1961 Freedom Rides, which aimed to end racial segregation in the South. Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of Lewis' death. Organizers planned about 20 other 'Good Trouble' rallies in the suburbs, including Naperville and Highland Park. Nationwide, more than 1,000 similar protests were held, according to the 'Good Trouble Lives On' website. Among the rally attendees were the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates. Johnson told the crowd that America under Trump was making an 'alarming and fast descent into authoritarianism,' but vowed that Chicago would fight back. He also repeated a pledge that the city would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 'There are times when we have to march forward, even when it's difficult, even when the risks are real,' he said. 'Let me tell you that time is now. Tonight, we follow in the footsteps of making good trouble. Trouble that will engender confidence across this country that 'liberty and justice' for all is not just a tagline.' Protesters carried signs that read 'Dump Trump' and 'Dissent is Patriotic,' while a person in a taco suit, cape and crown danced around an inflatable baby Donald Trump. 'The standards of people who are running America right now are very low,' said Samantha Oliva, 22. 'I guess you can commit crimes, you can lie.' Carrying a sign that read 'Morons Are Governing America,' a play on the Trump slogan 'Make America Great Again,' Oliva said she hoped this protest would inspire more Gen Zers to take civic action against the administration. 'Community is everything with someone plotting against you guys,' Oliva said, referring to what she called Trump's actions to sow division among Americans. 'We're stronger together.' National Education Association President Becky Pringle spoke about opposition to federal restrictions on diversity initiatives and the administration's 'intimidation of immigrant families.' 'We must and we will get in the way of the structural inequalities that are purposefully designed to sacrifice the common good of the many.' While Joan Javier-Duval, a Unitarian minister from Montpelier, Vermont, was in town to visit family, she said she looked for ways to participate in Thursday's protests. A Chicago native, Javier-Duval has attended several protests since Trump's inauguration, calling cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and increased funding for ICE particularly worrying. She said that many in her Vermont community have relied on emergency funds after severe flooding, and she also opposes ICE's deprivation of due process for immigrants. 'An event like this is important to show that we can come together across different communities and different issues,' she said. 'All to say that what we want is for our people to be taken care of and for our democracy to thrive.' Hermosa resident and Navy veteran Eligio Alvarado said he came to Thursday's protest because Trump and his 'ilk' were 'dismantling America,' in part by gutting government programs and replacing public servants. 'They're putting in their cronies who will march to their tune,' said Alvarado, who is originally from Puerto Rico. Unless something changes, Alvarado said, he would 'have fought for naught.' Similar to Javier-Duval, he said he hoped the protests would motivate voters and shift momentum toward Democrats who hope to retake Congress. 'This gives me hope,' he said.
Wall Street Journal
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Antisemitism and the Teachers Union
Anti-Israel and anti-American radicals have set college campuses afire in the past two years. In too many places, they turned quads into combat zones, harassed Jewish students in dorms, and shut down debate in classrooms. Now we have a new, even more terrifying problem: The radicals are turning their sights on K-12 classrooms. Last week the National Education Association used its annual conference to adopt a measure that effectively prevents the union's members from 'using, endorsing or publicizing' any educational materials created by the Anti-Defamation League, one of the oldest and leading Jewish organizations in America. For decades ADL curricula has been the gold standard for helping students understand and navigate the complex issues of bigotry and prejudice. Our peer-reviewed programs have helped educators instruct pupils about how bias can grow and mutate over time if left unchecked. We developed our Holocaust education offering, 'Echoes and Reflections,' in collaboration with Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and the USC Shoah Foundation. It offers lessons on the Holocaust and its eternal resonance for all people. One of our main educational offerings, 'No Place for Hate,' is a student-led program used in more than 2,000 schools across the U.S. every year. Through classroom content and extracurricular activities, the program offers a message of inclusion that is entirely apolitical. It's designed solely to bring students together to better understand the differences that too often divide us. Against this backdrop, the NEA's move is both insidious and vindictive. This wasn't about the ADL. It was a clear and unambiguous statement to Jewish educators, parents and children: You don't count. And it perversely takes this stance at a time when anti-Jewish hate is skyrocketing.
New York Post
15-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Largest teachers union slams ‘unlawful' cuts to Department of Education after supreme court ruling
The president of the nation's largest teachers' union, the National Education Association, slammed the Supreme Court's ruling on Monday for siding with the Trump administration on dismantling the Department of Education. 'Everyone who cares about America's students and public schools should be appalled by the Supreme Court's premature intervention in this case today, which stays preliminary relief ordered by the lower courts. Today's decision does not resolve the underlying merits of Trump's unlawful plan to eliminate the Department of Education,' Becky Pringle said in a statement. Advertisement She added, 'Parents, educators, and community leaders won't be silent as Trump and his allies take a wrecking ball to public schools and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America. We will continue to organize, advocate, and mobilize until all students have the opportunity to attend the well-resourced public schools where they can thrive.' 5 Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, speaks during an immigrant rights protest outside of the Department of Justice headquarters. Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images 5 The president of the nation's largest teachers' union, the National Education Association, slammed the Supreme Court's ruling on Monday. 5 Protestors holding signs in front of the U.S. Department of Education building. Advertisement The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to fire hundreds of Department of Education employees, a move that advances President Donald Trump's plans to dismantle the department. The high court's decision in McMahon v. State of New York was issued 6-3 along ideological lines. The decision temporarily pauses an order by a lower court judge that had reinstated roughly 1,400 employees at the Department of Education. In March, Education Secretary Linda McMahon laid off half of the department's workforce as part of the Trump administration's broader reduction in government efforts. Later that month, Trump announced in an executive order that he planned to shutter the department altogether. 5 The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to fire hundreds of Department of Education employees. Advertisement 5 The decision temporarily pauses an order by a lower court judge that had reinstated roughly 1,400 employees at the Department of Education. The Supreme Court's order arose from two lawsuits, including one brought by 20 Democratic-led states that challenged the Education Department's layoffs and planned closure. McMahon praised the ruling, vowing that the federal agency can now 'carry out the reduction in force to promote efficiency and accountability and to return education back to the states.' Advertisement 'Today, the Supreme Court again confirmed the obvious: the President of the United States, as the head of the Executive Branch, has the ultimate authority to make decisions about staffing levels, administrative organization, and day-to-day operations of federal agencies,' McMahon said on X. 'While today's ruling is a significant win for students and families, it is a shame that the highest court in the land had to step in to allow President Trump to advance the reforms Americans elected him to deliver using the authorities granted to him by the U.S. Constitution.'
