Defending Education Alleges Teachers' Unions Funnel $50 Million to "Left-Wing Agitators"

Washington D.C. – Defending Education, a policy and advocacy organization, has accused the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) of channeling $50 million in funds to what it describes as "left-wing agitators." The claim, made by Sarah Parshall Perry, Vice President and Legal Fellow at Defending Education, highlights concerns over the political spending of teachers' unions, whose funds largely derive from member dues.

Perry stated in a recent tweet, "> Our investigative work at @DefendingEd revealed that the AFT and NEA poured $50M in cash into the biggest left-wing agitators in the country. All while collecting dues from their teachers--whose salaries are paid for by American taxpayers." This assertion brings renewed attention to the financial activities of prominent education unions.

The AFT and NEA are the two largest teachers' unions in the United States, representing millions of educators and school staff. Both organizations engage in extensive lobbying and political advocacy at federal, state, and local levels, often supporting candidates and causes aligned with their educational and social policy goals. Their political spending is a long-standing point of contention, particularly regarding the use of member dues for political activities.

While unions are legally permitted to engage in political spending, the specifics of their expenditures and the beneficiaries of their donations frequently draw scrutiny. Critics argue that such large sums diverted to political groups, especially those labeled as "agitators," may not directly serve the professional interests of all union members or the educational outcomes of students. The claim of $50 million specifically highlights the scale of the alleged financial transfers.

Defending Education, where Perry serves as Vice President and Legal Fellow, is known for its focus on parental rights and conservative education reform. Perry herself has a background as a Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation and served as Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Education. The organization often engages in advocacy and legal challenges related to curriculum, gender identity, and school governance, framing its work around protecting parental authority in education.

The tweet underscores the ongoing debate about the transparency and allocation of teachers' union funds. Taxpayer dollars contribute to teacher salaries, from which union dues are often collected, fueling arguments about accountability in union political spending. This latest claim by Defending Education is likely to intensify calls for greater scrutiny of how these powerful unions utilize their substantial financial resources.