When a teachers’ union compares its relationship with conservatives to Donald Trump’s diplomacy with Kim Jong Un, you know Alabama politics are shifting in strange ways.
Recently, the Alabama Education Association (AEA) began claiming it now “backs conservative education issues.” After decades of funding Democrat candidates, opposing school choice, and pushing progressive ideology in classrooms, that claim deserves serious scrutiny.
The question isn’t whether the AEA can sound conservative – it’s whether it will act like it.
The NEA Connection: Still Tied to the National Agenda
According to data from the Alabama Policy Institute, the AEA remains financially and ideologically linked to the National Education Association (NEA) – the same organization behind national “equity” curriculum models and gender-identity advocacy in schools. Between 2015 and 2024, the NEA sent nearly $30 million to the AEA. That funding represents roughly one-sixth of the AEA’s annual revenue.
This isn’t charity – it’s strategy.
The NEA’s goal is clear: to ensure its national priorities take root in Alabama classrooms. The AEA is listed on the NEA website as the official state affiliate – a direct pipeline from Washington to our schools.
If the AEA truly wants to represent Alabama families, it should demonstrate that through action, not press releases.
Actions That Will Prove the AEA’s Intentions
If the AEA’s rebrand is real, six key pieces of legislation will test it. These bills draw a clear line between protecting families and promoting federal ideology. Every organization that claims to support parents, faith, and academic integrity should champion them without hesitation:
- HB 8 – Campus Chaplains
Allows schools to welcome volunteer chaplains. Faith-based mentorship builds resilience and character – something no program can replicate. - HB 23 – Gender Ideology Prohibition
Bans instruction or discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-12 classrooms. Parents decide when and how those conversations happen – not unions. - SB 3 – Sex Education Reform
Requires curricula to emphasize abstinence and risk avoidance, with full parental notification and opt-out rights. Restoring common sense starts here. - SB 4 – Released-Time Religious Instruction
Allows elective credit for off-campus religious classes during school hours – protecting faith and freedom together. - HB 503 – Parental Religious Exemption
Although from last session, this bill should be revived as it affirms that parents can exempt children from mandates on religious grounds. Faith-based convictions should be honored, not penalized. - HB 580 – Ultra-Processed Food Ban
Another from last session that should be revived, this bill bans ultra-processed foods from federally-funded meal programs. Protecting student health is not partisan – it’s responsible.
If the AEA truly supports Alabama’s families, it will use its influence to support these measures and the lawmakers who carry them.
Follow the Money
Despite its rebrand, the AEA continues to fund lawmakers who oppose conservative reform.
It has given $100,000 to State Rep. Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile), who sits on the House Education Policy Committee and has opposed parental rights legislation, such as the Gender Ideology Bill.
State Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham), received $25,000 from an AEA political action committee. Both now face a choice: stand with parents or continue blocking family-first policy.
And newly-elected Republican Cindy Myrex, who accepted $7,500, will have her chance to show Alabama families where she stands.
If these legislators support the six bills above, the AEA’s “conservative” makeover may prove authentic. If not, voters will see it for what it is: a political costume, not a conviction.
2026: The Real Test
The 2026 legislative session will reveal whether the AEA’s rebrand is genuine. Alabama parents are done with empty statements – they want proof.
Support parental rights.
Support faith and freedom.
Support academic excellence over ideology.
Do that, and the AEA might finally earn back the trust of Alabama families. Ignore it, and it will confirm what we already know – that this rebrand is about political survival, not moral reform.
Alabama doesn’t need national unions dictating what children learn. We don’t need social experiments in our classrooms – we need truth, excellence, and respect for family authority.
If the AEA wants to be taken seriously, it must prove it represents Alabama, not Washington.
Until then, conservatives shouldn’t just “trust but verify” – they should demand accountability.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about partisan politics. It’s about protecting Alabama’s children and preserving the values that make our state strong.
Emily Jones is a native of North Alabama and the content contributor of The Controversial Mom podcast on Right Side Radio. She is the founder of the first Moms for Liberty chapter in the state seeking to fight for the preservation of parental rights and the protection of our children. She is currently running for the State Board of Education in District 8.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please email your name and contact information to [email protected].
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