Teachers' unions, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), are reportedly collaborating with artificial intelligence providers like Microsoft and Anthropic on programs to train educators in using AI. According to a report by the watchdog group Defending Education, these initiatives are designed not only to introduce new technological resources but also to influence the content generated by AI in classrooms.
The AFT is undertaking a $12.5 million training program, funded by sponsors including Microsoft, targeting 10% of its members. This program reportedly aims to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology into AI programs used in schools. Defending Education's findings suggest that the unions view these adjustments, which they refer to as "guardrails," as a way to counteract perceived "algorithmic biases" in AI systems, which they attribute to their designers. Similarly, the NEA is said to be directing local school boards to integrate DEI principles into their AI initiatives.
Critics argue that this approach prioritizes "politically correct" content over factual accuracy, potentially leading to indoctrination rather than education and contributing to learning loss. This strategy is seen by some as part of a broader pattern of union-influenced content in K-12 education.
This development occurs against a backdrop of political efforts to address concerns about ideology in schools. Former President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at halting federal funding for schools promoting what he described as "gender indoctrination" and "left-wing brainwashing." The House of Representatives has passed legislation, the "Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act," with a similar bill progressing in the Senate.
The debate over union influence and curriculum content is unfolding at both federal and state levels. Some state lawmakers are exploring ways to limit union power through legislation, citing examples such as Wisconsin's former Governor Scott Walker's actions to remove certain decisions, including curriculum choices, from the collective bargaining table. In Ohio, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has proposed reducing the collective bargaining powers of teachers' unions as a means to combat "wokeness" in classrooms.
Efforts to increase competition with traditional public schools, such as expanding charter school options, are also part of the discussion. Local school board elections are identified as a key battleground, with reformers encouraged to challenge union-backed candidates to influence curriculum decisions at the district level. Figures like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have been cited as examples of leaders who have successfully influenced educational policy through local election strategies.