The union also asked members whether Biden played a role in killing ‘tens of thousands’ of Palestinian civilians.
The nation’s largest teachers’ union is asking its members to weigh in on a variety of hot-button political issues, sending a survey that asks them about President Joe Biden’s role in killing “tens of thousands” of Palestinian civilians and if Donald Trump is a “bully and a racist.”
The online survey, which the National Education Association sent to some of its members on May 7, asks teachers about how various extreme statements could affect their vote in the 2024 presidential race, and how invested they are in a series of contentious national issues, according to screenshots provided to National Review.
It’s unclear how the NEA intends to use the feedback, although the union does ask members which issues they’d like to see it take a stand on, including the conflict in Gaza, climate change, abortion, guns, and racial and social-justice issues. Becky Pringle, the union’s president, told teachers in an email that their “participation is a valuable way to make your voice heard.”
Efforts to reach Pringle were unsuccessful, and the NEA did not respond to a request for comment from National Review.
Some of the questions ask NEA members to rate their level of concern about Trump’s and Biden’s handling of hot-button issues on a four-point scale — very serious concerns, serious concerns, minor concerns, or no real concerns. Others ask members to rate how convincing various arguments are for voting for Trump or Biden.
One question asks members to rate how concerning it is that Biden has provided Israel with “billions of dollars in weapons, including 2,000 pound bombs that have killed tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza.” NEA members are also asked to weigh in on statements regarding Biden’s border policies “overwhelming border cities, bringing crime to American cities, and hurting the economy,” his role in stoking skyrocketing inflation, and whether “Biden is too old and lacks the energy we need in a President.”
One statement describes Trump as a “bully and a racist who treats everyone badly” and “encourages and incites violence to get what he wants.” Other Trump-focused questions involve the former president’s interest in punishing women who have abortions, his support for private school vouchers, and his willingness to “dismantle public schools across the country.”
The survey also asks members to weigh in on seemingly positive arguments for both Trump’s and Biden’s reelection.
For example, NEA members are asked to rate how convincing the argument is that “Donald Trump believes that the American way of life is under attack,” that he will “take our country back from the corrupt Washington establishment,” and that, if he is reelected, he will “recreate the greatest economy in the history of the world, restore energy independence, and lead with strength and pride on the world stage.”
Pro-Biden statements focus on the president’s desire to provide “universal school meals so that every child has what they need to learn,” his efforts to combat gun violence that has “plagued our country for far too long,” and his interest in improving the mental health of the nation’s children by providing more funding for school counselors and social workers.
More traditional polling questions ask members about their preferred candidate and how likely they are to vote for Biden and Trump.
The left-wing union also asks teachers what their biggest reservation is about Trump, regardless of whom they vote for — a question that is not posed about Biden. It also asks teachers to rank ten potential priorities that Biden could focus on in his second term — a question that is not asked about Trump.