The 2025 National Education Association Representative Assembly (NEA RA) took place in Portland, Oregon from July 3 to July 6. The NEA RA is the highest decision-making body within NEA. It’s the world’s largest democratic deliberative body, comprised of delegates representing NEA local and state affiliates, student members, retired members and other segments of NEA membership. During the RA, delegates debate issues in public education and set NEA’s policies and activities for the coming year.
On July 5, New Business Item 39 (NBI 39) was adopted and referred to the NEA Executive Committee for further consideration. It stated, “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 following statement about NBI 39 can be attributed to an NEA spokesperson:
“As educators, we are committed to ensuring students of every race, religion or national origin have safe and welcoming spaces to learn and grow. The National Education Association and its members are unequivocally committed to the cause of educating, organizing against and combating all forms of hate and discrimination, including antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bigotry. This is a fundamental principle we will never walk away from.
“NEA believes in hard and honest conversations that nurture growth and understanding. There is a critical need for us, as educators, to model the type of respectful dialogue and discourse we want to see in the world, in our classrooms and on our campuses. We will not shy away from difficult or complex issues that affect our members, our students or our schools, nor will we tolerate antisemitism, anti-Palestinian bias or hateful rhetoric or behavior.
“The vote on NBI 39 was on July 5. In a narrow vote of over 6,000 NEA members at the 2025 NEA Representative Assembly, delegates voted to forward to the NEA Executive Committee a recommendation that the National Education Association not use, endorse or publicize materials from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) or participate in ADL programs. Under NEA’s standing rules, business items that call for boycotts or sanctions must be referred to the NEA Executive Committee for consideration, and then the NEA Executive Committee will send its recommendation to the NEA Board of Directors for consideration. The NEA President will convene the NEA Executive Committee to deliberate.
“It would be inappropriate to speculate about any decisions that our governing body will make.”
Background and Process Required By NEA Standing Rule 6(G)
New Business Item 39 called for the following:
“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.”
A voice vote on NBI 39 was determined to be too close to call. Delegates who supported NBI 39 were then asked to stand, followed by delegates in opposition to the NBI being asked to stand. The Committee on Constitution, Bylaws and Rules then determined that the NBI narrowly gained the majority support of the delegates. The language of this New Business Item, however, is interpreted as calling for a boycott or sanction of an organization or entity, which means that Standing Rule 6 (G) is applicable:
“G. Boycotts and Sanctions
New business relating to a boycott or sanction shall be referred to the Executive Committee. Prior to further action, NEA shall communicate with the state affiliate and local affiliate in which the affected company headquarters, organization, or governmental entity is located. Affected state affiliates that do not concur with the recommendations of the Executive Committee regarding a boycott will be allowed to file a rebuttal position paper that will be circulated to the Board of Directors together with the report of the Executive Committee. Further, the state president of any affected affiliate will be allowed time to address the Board of Directors before a vote is taken.
The Board of Directors shall act on the report of the Executive Committee or transmit it to the Representative Assembly. In making such a referral, the Representative Assembly may take a position for or against the action proposed in the new business item. The Board shall implement this position unless, after consideration of legal and other relevant factors, it deems by two-thirds (2/3) vote that such implementation would not be in the best interest of the Association. If the Representative Assembly takes a position on the new business item, the Board of Directors shall act on it at its initial meeting of the new fiscal year. Information and rationale regarding the boycott or sanction shall be provided to the affected affiliate(s) prior to public notification.”
NEA President Becky Pringle will convene the Executive Committee upon the compilation of needed research.