America’s Hyperpoliticized Teachers Unions Exposed

America’s hyperpoliticized teachers unions have become major players in partisan politics. About 70% of public school teachers belong to a union or employees’ association, with the two largest—the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—representing nearly 4.7 million members.

Union leaders claim to reflect the diversity of their members. NEA President Rebecca Pringle even told a Philadelphia station in 2023 that membership was “nearly evenly split between Democrats, Republicans, and independents.” But the numbers tell a different story. Union donations overwhelmingly flow to liberal, progressive, and Democratic causes, leaving little doubt about their political priorities.

The Political Leanings of Teachers

According to Pew Research, 58% of K-12 teachers identify with or lean Democratic, while just 35% lean Republican. That imbalance is significant, but it still doesn’t explain the dramatic tilt in union spending. For years, the NEA and AFT have used members’ dues not for classroom support or apolitical advocacy, but for partisan influence.

$43 Million in Political Donations

A report from Defending Education revealed that from July 2022 through July 2024, the NEA and AFT spent $43,524,125 on political and ideological causes.

Biggest Recipients

• $9.5 million (NEA) → State Engagement Fund, which redistributes funds to progressive groups.

• $9.3 million combined (NEA & AFT) → For Our Future Action Fund, focused on electing Democrats in swing states.

• $2.415 million (NEA) → Protect Our Schools KY, opposing GOP reforms in Kentucky.

• $1.6 million (AFT) → House Majority PAC, supporting Democratic control of Congress.

• $1.25 million (AFT) → Senate Majority PAC, same mission for the Senate.

Additional Beneficiaries

• $500,000+ donations to the Center for American Progress, Color of Change, and Future Forward USA Action, a PAC backing Joe Biden and later Kamala Harris.

• $325,000 (NEA) + $175,000 (AFT) → Sixteen Thirty Fund, a “dark money” hub.

• $185,000 combined → Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.

• $30,000 (NEA) → GLSEN, plus $60,000 (NEA) to the Human Rights Campaign.

Arabella Advisors and the Dark Money Network

The unions also funneled money into the Hopewell Fund, part of the Arabella Advisors network. Influence Watch reports that the fund sponsors temporary advocacy groups designed to push progressive campaigns before vanishing. Even the Gates Foundation has distanced itself from Arabella, yet the NEA and AFT continue to send member dues into its orbit.

What This Means for Teachers and Parents

For many educators, paying union dues is seen as the cost of professional security and collective bargaining. But the reality is stark: those dollars are fueling America’s hyperpoliticized teachers unions, which operate as political power brokers rather than education advocates.

Defending Education argues this politicization erodes trust in public schools, funnels resources away from classrooms, and deepens ideological divides between parents and teachers.

Conclusion: Education Takes a Back Seat

The $43.5 million identified between 2022 and 2024 is only part of the picture. The NEA and AFT have built a pattern of directing vast sums into progressive politics while claiming to represent all teachers. America’s hyperpoliticized teachers unions may call themselves defenders of education, but their balance sheets show where their true priorities lie.

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