A recent report by the Alabama Policy Institute (API) provided specific details on the relationship between the Alabama Education Association (AEA) and the National Education Association and explained how some NEA content for teachers may violate state law.
According to the report released Wednesday, AEA received $29.76 million from the NEA between 2015 and 2024. These NEA transfers accounted for an average of 17.45% of AEA's total annual revenue, reaching over 20% in 2017 and remaining above 15% in all but one year. In 2024, NEA support made up 15.17% of AEA revenue.
"NEA funding ensures that AEA amplifies NEA's national agenda in Alabama's education system, including professional development content and policy advocacy that is in direct conflict with Alabama law and the values of most Alabamians," the report claimed.
The report followed Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) chairman John Wahl, saying that if he were giving the group advice, he would tell them to leave the national organization.
"There is no reason that the AEA needs to have strings and connections to the NEA," he said.
RELATED: ALGOP chair Wahl defends AEA outreach — 'Trust but verify,' would urge group to leave NEA if asked
By joining the AEA, every teacher is automatically a member of the progressive NEA, with part of their dues supporting the NEA agenda.
The financial relationship is reciprocal; NEA funds flow into AEA through grants and assistance, while AEA remits a portion of member dues back to NEA each year.
In practice, Alabama educators' dues help sustain NEA's national advocacy, including its lobbying efforts and policy campaigns on issues such as race, gender, and identity in education.
The report by API included a deep dive into the NEA podcast, "School Me," with sections summarized by recurring themes, including:
- Black Lives Matter
- LGBTQ+ Issues
- Immigration and Safe Zone Policies
- Politics, Law, and Activism
"Preserving the integrity of Alabama's education system requires transparency, accountability, and a clear separation between the classroom and the political agendas of national organizations," the report warned, while questioning the legality of teachers being provided materials in direct contradiction to SB129, which was signed into law and went into effect on Oct. 1, 2024.
The bill prohibits public schools and agencies from teaching or promoting "divisive concepts." These include the ideas that individuals are inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive by virtue of their race or sex; that people should bear collective responsibility or feel guilt for past actions committed by members of their race or sex; or that meritocracy and traits such as a hard work ethic are inherently racist or sexist — recurring themes in the podcasts spotlighted in the API report.
"These examples show that the union's agenda is not limited to policy statements or advocacy; it directly shapes the curriculum placed before Alabama's children. Ultimately, Alabama stands at a crossroads. The state can continue funding and legitimizing a system that imports divisive ideology into its classrooms, or it can act decisively to restore focus on academic excellence and community values," the report closes with a challenge to lawmakers.
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