A report released by Defending Education claims that prominent teacher unions, including the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), are embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into their guidance for how artificial intelligence (AI) should be used in K-12 classrooms. The report scrutinizes AI guidance, model policies, and training materials from these organizations, asserting they promote AI policies centered on "equity" and "algorithmic bias."
According to the report, these education groups aim to shape the integration of AI in schools to align with their perspectives. Casey Ryan, an investigative reporter for Defending Education, stated that teacher unions are "nothing more than left-wing political operations funneling millions of dollars into promoting divisive DEI and gender ideologies in classrooms." Ryan added that these groups seek to use AI as "their next frontier to reach school children in an effort to promote their worldview onto America's next generation."
The report points to the AFT's $23 million initiative, the National Academy for AI Instruction, a collaboration with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic. This program, according to the report, is designed to establish "guardrails" for educators using AI. A 2025 AFT resolution cited in the report noted that while AI has the potential to personalize instruction and reduce administrative burdens, without proper safeguards, it can "perpetuate bias, invade privacy, and undermine educational equity, job security and the professional judgment of educators." The report suggests that this resolution is imbued with the idea that "bias" and "equity" are inherent issues within AI in schools. Researchers also examined the NEA's AI in Education Hub, which the union states is "grounded in equity, ethics, and educator voice." The NEA's model policy reportedly requires AI vendors to meet standards for "transparency, equity, and ethical decision-making" and undergo audits for "algorithmic bias."
The California Teachers Association (CTA) is also highlighted for its role in developing state AI guidance that advises educators to "approach AI with an equity lens" and address concerns about "equity, bias, and access," framing AI education as a means to combat "systemic bias."
Additional organizations mentioned in the report include the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), which has published articles discussing AI's ties to "white males" and the "New Jim Code." The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) are also noted for encouraging discussions on AI vendors' approaches to "algorithmic biases" and ensuring AI tools "advance and do not undermine equity."
The report concludes that the objective of these organizations is to embed DEI into AI tools to ensure students receive "politicized answers and receive a politicized education in the nation’s classrooms."