STUDENT Act
The STUDENT Act would sharply regulate the National Education Association (NEA) and its state/local affiliates by rewriting key sections of Chapter 1511 of Title 36. If enacted, the bill would impose strict governance, financial, and ideological constraints on the NEA, restrict how dues are collected from government employees, require annual reporting to Congress, and subject the NEA to disciplined oversight and potential litigation by the federal government. A major consequence is the repeal of the District of Columbia’s property tax exemption for the NEA, effectively removing a long-standing tax relief tied to its status as a supposedly federally chartered organization. The bill frames the NEA as a political operator that has drifted from its purported mission and would require it to operate more like a traditional, non-political, accountable labor organization under federal law. In addition to governance and financial controls, the bill adds explicit prohibitions on political activity by NEA leadership, bars discrimination and race-based quotas, and imposes specific rules about who can be a member and how dues may be collected. It also attempts to curb certain kinds of ideological instruction within schools by prohibiting the NEA from advocating or enforcing beliefs described in the bill, including those related to critical race theory or related concepts. The Attorney General would gain explicit authority to pursue equitable relief for noncompliance, and dissolution of the organization would require assets to go to the U.S. Treasury or to members. Overall, the measure would transform the NEA into a highly regulated, non-political labor organization with increased congressional oversight and reduced tax benefits.
Key Points
- 1Prohibits political activity or lobbying influence by the NEA and its leaders; requires compliance with strict governance and transparency standards.
- 2Membership and dues: state/local government employee dues may only be collected with explicit First Amendment rights notice, affirmative consent, and authorization to avoid payroll deductions.
- 3Governance and accountability: officers must be U.S. citizens; strong recordkeeping requirements; annual congressional reporting; liability for officers’ acts; and the organization must have a representative form of government.
- 4Anti-discrimination and no quotas: the NEA and its affiliates may not discriminate by race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, or national origin, and may not set race- or demographic-based quotas.
- 5Ideological limitations: prohibits staff or leadership from promoting or requiring certain beliefs (e.g., views that the United States is inherently racist or sexist, or propagating antisemitic content). It also bars advocating for school systems to require students to adopt such beliefs.
- 6Labor organization status and enforcement: the NEA would be deemed a labor organization under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) and subject to its provisions; the Attorney General can seek equitable relief for noncompliance.
- 7Reporting and dissolution: requires an annual report to Congress and specifies what happens to remaining assets upon dissolution (to the U.S. Treasury or to current employed members).
- 8Repeal of DC tax exemption: Section 151106 (DC property tax exemption) would be repealed, altering the NEA’s tax status in the District of Columbia.