JCPA Urges NEA to Reject Divisive Resolution, Reaffirms Commitment to Working Together to Confront Antisemitism and Hate

On July 14, JCPA sent the following letter to National Education Association President Becky Pringle, expressing concern about the adoption of NBI 39 and reaffirming the importance of continued partnership to confront rising antisemitism and protect all students and educators.

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July 14, 2025

Rebecca S. Pringle
President
National Education Association

Dear President Pringle, 

With antisemitism on the rise in new, disturbing, and increasingly violent ways — including in our schools — we are grateful for the opportunity that NEA has provided for the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) to engage with your staff and membership on this critical issue. In particular, we deeply appreciated the invitation to lead a workshop on antisemitism at the recent NEA Conference on Racial and Social Justice in Portland this month. The session was well-attended and led to constructive conversation with your leadership and members — a testament to the hunger for more robust and direct engagement on antisemitism in all of its forms and how best to protect Jewish, and all, students and educators at this critical moment. 

That is why it is also important to express our deep concerns about NBI 39, the resolution passed at the recent NEA Representative Assembly seeking to stop NEA from using, endorsing, or publicizing any materials from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), such as curricula, statistics, and programming. JCPA is joining with a number of other Jewish communal organizations in a letter drafted by the ADL regarding this resolution. However, we also wanted to write directly to express our concerns about the resolution and other recent developments in our own words, as well as to welcome the important positive steps taken by NEA at the recent convening and more broadly (including the JCPA-led workshop on antisemitism and the series of resolutions aimed at confronting antisemitism and celebrating Jewish heritage). 

We are concerned that NBI 39 serves as a dangerous escalation aimed at delegitimizing a major Jewish organization that provides critical research and resources in the fight against antisemitism. One does not need to align with the ADL on every issue; but choosing to cut off all engagement and dialogue runs counter to our shared goals of countering antisemitism and broader hate and bias. This is particularly concerning alongside reports that Jewish educators who spoke up during the proceedings were subjected to harassment; a larger campaign that has sought to wholly delegitimize a number of Jewish organizations that are focused on countering antisemitism; and a broader trend of rising marginalization of Jewish teachers and explicit antisemitic incidents in teachers’ unions. We urge the NEA Executive Committee to reject NBI 39. 

At the same time, we want to acknowledge the various resolutions passed at the Representative Assembly aimed at protecting the Jewish community and celebrating Jewish American heritage, including NBI 24, which promotes the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month; NBI 52, which calls to educate members about the State Department’s definition of antisemitism; and NBI 26, which promotes use of a “Combatting Antisemitism Toolkit” and “Screening Out Hate” checklist to help educators, students, and families identify and respond to anti-Jewish hate crimes and incidents. We will continue to engage with the NEA Jewish Caucus and NEA more broadly around these efforts. 

The safety of the Jewish community is inextricably linked with the safety of all communities, a strong public education system, and inclusive, pluralistic democracy that protects the rights and freedoms of all. Particularly in the aftermath of October 7th, we know that the Jewish community is not alone in our fear, as Arab and Muslim American students and educators have also faced rising levels of bigotry, discrimination, and violence – all part of a broader trend of growing hate crimes and extremism. 

It is precisely because our communities’ safety is intertwined that educators – and NEA in particular – have a unique role to play in fighting antisemitism and hate in all of its forms. JCPA stands ready to build on our constructive partnership with NEA to support your leaders and members in understanding and navigating antisemitism and its intersection with these broader issues. JCPA has already launched a formal partnership with your colleagues at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) earlier this year in order to ensure as many educators as possible are included in these conversations. 

We would welcome the opportunity to further discuss these issues and opportunities as we work together to ensure that all students and educators are truly safe and protected. 

Sincerely, 

Amy Spitalnick
CEO
Jewish Council for Public Affairs