New ADL Report Finds Widespread Antisemitism in U.S. Teachers Unions

New York, NY, August 27, 2026 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today released a new report, “Antisemitism in U.S. Teachers Unions,” documenting alarming levels of anti-Jewish conduct, hostile rhetoric and institutional failure that Jewish K-12 employees have experienced in teachers unions across the country. Based on a mixed-methods study combining focus groups and a survey of 307 Jewish members of U.S. teachers unions, the report exposes a systemic pattern of exclusion that is driving Jewish educators to self-censor and many fear backlash for vocalizing concerns.

The findings arrive as antisemitism in the United States has reached historic levels in the past three years. Jewish educators often described their professional union environments as fundamentally altered since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.

“Teachers unions were built on the promise of solidarity, fairness and dignity for every worker. This report makes clear that this promise is being broken for Jewish educators across the country,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “What we found is not the work of a few bad actors. It is a structural and cultural failure. Jewish educators deserve to feel safe and protected in their union spaces. And instead of that, they are self-censoring and fearing backlash for raising concerns. This is consistent with other findings and shows a dangerous trend of institutionalized antisemitism that simply cannot continue.”

Key Findings:

• Jewish members are self-censoring at alarming rates. 70 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that vocalizing concerns about the treatment of Jews in union spaces could lead to reputational or professional consequences. Nearly three quarters (73.6 percent) said they feel a need to self-censor in teachers union spaces, and nearly half (47.6 percent) said they have reduced their participation in union activities as a result of their use of harmful rhetoric or behavior targeting Jews, Zionists/Zionism or Israel.
• Anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist and anti-Israel conduct is pervasive. More than 70 percent of surveyed Jewish union members somewhat or strongly agreed that statements about the Israel-Hamas war that fail to condemn Hamas or the October 7 atrocities are a problem in their union. 68 percent said calls to cut ties with mainstream Jewish organizations are a problem.
• Hostile rhetoric continues well after October 7: Approximately 52 percent of respondents said they witnessed minimization or denial of the October 7 atrocities within the past year; about 49 percent said they heard “Zionist” used as a slur or pejorative in the past year; and approximately 44 percent said that there were speakers who justify violence against Jews or Israel platformed at union events in the past year.
• Union leadership has failed its Jewish members. Among those who raised concerns with union leadership, a staggering 69 percent said they were not at all satisfied with the response they received. 
• Biased programming is being sponsored and promoted. More than a quarter of respondents said their union had sponsored or promoted programming related to Jews, Zionists/Zionism or Israel in the past year, and 78 percent of that group said those programs were biased against Jews, Zionists/Zionism or Israel. 
• Jewish members are calling for reform. Respondents' top requests include union leadership clearly condemning threats and harassment against Jews (almost 76 percent), balanced and evidence-based antisemitism education (73.3 percent) and clear guardrails against harassment tied to Jewish identity and Zionism (71.7 percent).

“Jewish educators have shown extraordinary courage, showing up to meetings, filing complaints, running for leadership positions and advocating from within, often at real personal and professional cost,” said Shira Goodman, VP of Public Affairs and Special Initiatives at ADL. “They are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for the same dignity and belonging that unions promise every member. The reforms they are calling for are reasonable, achievable and entirely consistent with the values these institutions claim to uphold. It is time for union leaders to listen and to act.”

The qualitative data paints an equally troubling picture. Respondents described watching their unions pass resolutions that blamed Israel for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, promote curricular materials that contained antisemitic content and consistently refuse to address concerns about antisemitism raised by Jewish members. Some noted a pattern of singling out Israel for criticism in ways that no other country is treated: 

• “[My local union] passed a resolution as official union policy that blamed Israel for the October 7 Hamas attack...We tried to come up with...amendments, but they voted us down and shouted us down.”
• “My union leadership actively works against Jews/Zionist...They even hosted several events promoting extremely biased and nasty anti-Israel curriculum, including giving out flyers that praised the Al-Aqsa flood operation and glorified their martyrs...My wife...was physically intimidated at a union event. She was also attacked publicly by union leadership online on social media.”
• “My union has made me feel isolated, bothered, and perpetuated a hostile environment where antisemitism has flourished through micro aggressions. This is the first time in 26 years of teaching that I have been so acutely aware of my Jewish identity at work, my professional space.”
• "Jewish educators have gone into hiding. They do not admit to being Jewish or wear any identifying clothing/jewelry. We are still being told not to speak."

ADL calls on teachers union leaders at all levels to take immediate and concrete action: to clearly and unequivocally condemn antisemitism, to implement robust and fairly enforced protections for Jewish members, to vet union programming for balance and accuracy, and to refocus union activity on the core labor issues that unite all educators.

The full report, including methodology, survey results and recommendations, is available here.

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913 to protect the Jewish people, ADL works to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all. In the face of rising antisemitism and extremism, we protect, advocate, and educate, through a mix of programs and services using the latest innovations and technology, and seek to create a world without hate. More at www.adl.org.