Zionism@Work: Teachers’ vote to break with ADL nixed by union leaders
S. E. Anderson
Teachers’ vote to break with ADL nixed by union leaders
Bob Price
October 2025
In a victory for defenders of Palestine, representatives of the National Education Association (NEA) voted in early June to cut ties with the Zionist Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Two weeks later, the union’s top leaders caved to pro-Israel pressure and overturned the historic decision. This betrayal by top labor officials shows the link between the struggle against genocide in Palestine and the fight for working-class power.
The vote by NEA’s Representative Assembly was the culmination of years of organizing. Pro-Palestinian activists on campuses and in the streets have massively shifted U.S. public opinion against Zionist atrocities in Gaza.
In addition, campaigns like Drop the ADL from Schools have shown clearly that the ADL is not the civil rights organization it pretends to be. In reality, it serves as a right-wing lobbying group for the Israeli government and has worked with schools to provide educational materials on alleged antisemitism. Rejection of this partnership by the largest U.S. labor organization reflects broad opposition to the genocide. Nonetheless, union leaders choose to line up with the ADL, in lockstep with the Democratic Party.
It’s time for rank-and-file workers to take political power to ensure our demands are met, both in the workplace, and in solidarity with others, like the people of Palestine. This means fighting to take over our unions, breaking ties with the Democrats, and establishing an independent party of labor. Only by taking leadership away from corporate-oriented union bureaucrats and politicians to rule in our own interests can we stop this and all future genocides.
s. e. anderson
author of The Black Holocaust for Beginners
www.blackeducator.org
"If WORK was good for you, the rich would leave none for the poor." (Haiti)
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