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Biden Backs Teachers Unions Over Students

From day one, Biden has ignored the science and bowed to teachers’ unions demands to keep schools shut down.

BIDEN PAYS BACK TEACHERS’ UNIONS

• After Biden pledged to reopen schools in the first 100 days, he not only failed to follow through but completely reversed course in favor of teachers’ unions.
  • Despite his pledge, Biden is now saying he hopes to reopen most schools by fall.
  • Multiple studies show that it is safe to reopen our schools but the Biden Administration continues to deny the science.
• Emails show that CDC Director Walensky and other top Biden officials extensively consulted with teachers’ unions prior to releasing the Federal guidance on school reopening.
  • Lobbying by the teachers’ unions led the Biden Administration to weaken its school reopening guidance and keep students out of the classroom even longer.
  • The emails, which were obtained by Americans for Public Trust, show the CDC gave the teachers’ unions an opportunity to review the guidance beforehand and even adopted some of their suggested language.

TEACHERS’ UNIONS 2020 INVESTMENT

• Teachers’ unions spent $66 million on the 2020 election, nearly all of which went to Democrats.
  • $59 million of teachers’ unions spending went to outside spending supporting Democrats.
  • The top 20 recipients of teachers’ unions contributions are all Democrats or independents.
• The NEA and AFT accounted for the vast majority of teachers’ union spending in 2020, having each endorsed Biden and pledged to mobilize their unions on his behalf.
• The NEA sent $43 million to its Super PAC, the NEA Advocacy Fund, in 2020, which then sent along that money to Democratic outside groups and used it for its own spending targeting Republicans.
  • The NEA Advocacy Fund spent $5.6 million targeting Republican candidates in 2020.
  • The NEA also contributed $500,000 to Take Back 2020 and $2.8 million to Senate Majority PAC.
• AFT made significant donations to Democrat Super PACs in 2020, including $5 million to Senate Majority PAC, $4.6 million to House Majority PAC, and $2 million to Priorities USA Action.
  • AFT’s Super PAC, AFT Solidarity, also spent $1.5 million in independent expenditures targeting Republicans.

ADMINISTRATION TIES TO TEACHERS’ UNIONS

• Biden gave teachers unions the keys to set policy during his transition, with one-fifth of Biden’s education transition team having worked for teachers’ unions.
• First Lady Jill Biden is a longtime member of the NEA, and cowrote an op-ed with the presidents of the NEA and AFT on remote learning during COVID-19.
  • First Lady Biden participated in an event with the leaders of the NEA and AFT the day after the inauguration.
• Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is a former member of AFT and received high praise from the organization after he was nominated.
• Donna Harris-Aikens, who was named as a Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the Department of Education, previously worked on policy for the NEA.
• Department of Education Deputy General Counsel Emma Leheny previously worked for the NEA.