National Education Association: Charlie Kirk's Case Against Teacher Unions

Showing 9 National Education Association videos from Charlie Kirk's video collection.

The National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union, is a frequent target in Charlie Kirk's education commentary, where he argues it has actively promoted Critical Race Theory in K-12 classrooms rather than staying neutral on curriculum. Kirk cited what he described as an NEA training manual instructing teachers on how to introduce CRT concepts to students, using it in campus debates to counter claims that the theory is confined to universities and graduate-level academic study. In one especially pointed comparison, Kirk described public-sector teacher unions including the NEA and the American Federation of Teachers as functioning like a cartel that has done more long-term damage to the country than foreign adversaries, a characterization reflecting his own rhetorical framing rather than a literal claim. Commentator CJ Pearson framed the underlying dispute in more neutral terms, describing a genuine disagreement between those who believe trained educators are best positioned to set curriculum and those, including Kirk, who argue parents should hold final authority over what children are taught. Kirk connected this critique to his broader support for the Trump administration's move to close the federal Department of Education, arguing power over curriculum should return to families and local communities rather than national teachers unions.