--- title: "Educator Claims Teachers Unions Prioritize Power Over Instruction" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/educator-claims-teachers-unions-prioritize-power-over-instruction" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/educator-claims-teachers-unions-prioritize-power-over-instruction" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/educator-claims-teachers-unions-prioritize-power-over-instruction.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/educator-claims-teachers-unions-prioritize-power-over-instruction" category: "Politics" published: "2026-11-08T00:25:18.760Z" source_reported: "2026-11-07T22:36:53.000Z" updated: "2026-11-08T00:25:18.760Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-11-08T00:15:25.908761+00:00" --- # Educator Claims Teachers Unions Prioritize Power Over Instruction *Michael Greer alleges NEA and CTA have shifted focus from teaching to political influence.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and four digests cite two watchdog groups for financial data on teachers unions. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. The story is clearly written and attributes claims to the sources, but lacks quotes from union representatives. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. The headline accurately reflects the content, but the use of 'abandoned' and 'exclusively' adds mild sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Michael Greer, a retired special education teacher and former union president, claims the NEA and CTA have shifted focus from classroom instruction to political power. - The North American Values Institute reported the NEA spent at least $547 million on political activity and advocacy between fiscal years 2016 and 2025. - The AFT reported $383.2 million in political activity and lobbying over the same period, according to NAVI. - Parents Defending Education reported national teachers unions have funneled more than $660 million to left-wing political groups and causes since 2015, with total spending exceeding $1 billion including affiliates. Michael Greer, a retired special education teacher and former union president, has accused the National Education Association (NEA) and the California Teachers Association (CTA) of abandoning classroom instruction for political influence. Greer, who has 26 years of membership in both unions and previously served as a local CTA chapter president, stated that the organizations are "no longer focused on children." Greer, who now chairs the Del Norte County Republican Party, told Fox News Digital that union priorities have changed since his early involvement. He recalled union conferences that once focused on practical instructional workshops for teaching reading, math, and science. "That has changed completely," Greer said, adding that the focus is now on teaching teachers "how to become union members, how to go on strike, and how to gain social justice power." ## Union Spending on Political Activity Greer's claims are accompanied by independent analyses detailing significant spending by teachers unions on political activities. The North American Values Institute (NAVI) reported that the NEA spent at least $547 million on political activity and advocacy between fiscal years 2016 and 2025. This figure includes $458.9 million for political and lobbying expenditures and $88.2 million in direct contributions to progressive organizations. NAVI also found that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) reported $383.2 million in political activity and lobbying during the same timeframe. A separate report from Parents Defending Education indicated that national teachers unions have channeled over $660 million to left-wing political groups and causes since 2015. When state and local affiliates are included, the total political spending by these unions exceeds $1 billion, according to the same report. Recipients identified by Parents Defending Education include Democratic-aligned PACs like the Senate Majority PAC and House Majority PAC, and progressive groups such as the State Engagement Fund and the For Our Future Action Fund. Greer noted that this shift in spending priorities has altered the unions' focus from teaching to political power and social change. He also mentioned that national student achievement remains stagnant, with federal data showing about three in 10 students proficient in math and reading, despite substantial federal funding. Greer acknowledged that the CTA does fund teachers to attend both Republican and Democratic state conventions, covering up to $800 for travel and hotel costs. However, he stated that speaking out against the union's political focus has made him an outlier, as he believes the unions are "helping themselves gain the power to alter laws and regulations" rather than helping teachers on the ground floor of instruction. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports mentioned that the CTA funds teachers to attend both Republican and Democratic state conventions, a detail included in the centre-rated report and the full report from U-S-News.com. No left-rated outlet ran this story. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 17% (1) - Right: 83% (5) 0 of 6 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-11-08T00:15:25.908761+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-11-08T00:45:17.815Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The centre-rated report from IntelliNews led with Michael Greer's claim that major teachers unions have abandoned instructional quality for political power. It highlighted Greer's 26 years of membership in the NEA and CTA and his past roles as a local CTA chapter president and school board member. The report detailed NAVI's findings that the NEA spent at least $547 million on political activity and advocacy between fiscal years 2016 and 2025, including direct contributions to progressive organizations. It also cited Parents Defending Education's report of over $660 million funneled to left-wing groups since 2015, with total spending exceeding $1 billion including affiliates. The report included Greer's assertion that unions now teach members "how to become union members, how to go on strike, and how to gain social justice power," moving away from teaching how to teach. ### Right - The right-rated reports focused on Michael Greer's accusation that the NEA and CTA have traded classroom instruction for political power, with several using headlines directly quoting this claim. The reports from U-S-News.com and The Beltway Report identified Greer as a retired Del Norte County educator and former union member, with U-S-News.com also noting his current role as chair of the Del Norte County Republican Party. All right-rated reports cited the NAVI investigation, stating the NEA spent at least $547 million on political activity and advocacy between fiscal years 2016 and 2025. They also referenced the Parents Defending Education report that national teachers unions have funneled more than $660 million to left-wing political groups and causes since 2015, with total spending exceeding $1 billion including state and local affiliates. U-S-News.com included Greer's specific examples of union conferences shifting from instructional workshops to teaching "how to change the social system" and mentioned stagnant national student achievement data. The right-rated reports did not mention the CTA funding teachers to attend both Republican and Democratic state conventions. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 3 - mixed: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [U-S-NEWS.COM](https://u-s-news.com/politics-del-norte-county-educator-says-teachers-union-has-traded-classroom-focus-for-political-power-the-beltway-report) — POLITICS: Del Norte County Educator Says Teachers Union Has Traded Classroom Focus for Political Power – The Beltway Report - [INTELLINEWS](https://intelli.news/2026/11/07/member-of-largest-teachers-union-in-us-claims-org-is-no-longer-focused-on-children-only-political-power) — Member of largest teachers union in US claims org is ‘no longer focused on children,’ only ‘political power’ - [wfmd.com](https://wfmd.com/2026/11/07/member-of-largest-teachers-union-in-us-claims-org-is-no-longer-focused-on-children-only-political-power) — Member of largest teachers union in US claims org is ‘no longer focused on children,’ only ‘political power’ - [The Beltway Report](https://thebeltwayreport.com/2026/11/del-norte-county-educator-says-teachers-union-has-traded-classroom-focus-for-political-power) — Del Norte County Educator Says Teachers Union Has Traded Classroom Focus for Political Power - [nytimespost.com](https://nytimespost.com/member-of-largest-teachers-union-in-us-claims-org-is-no-longer-focused-on-children-only-political-power) — Member of largest teachers union in US claims org is 'no longer focused on children,' only 'political power' - NEW YORK TIMES POST - [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/media/member-largest-teachers-union-us-claims-organization-no-longer-focused-children-only-power) — Member of largest teachers union in US claims org is 'no longer focused on children,' only 'political power' ## Questions **What is Michael Greer's main claim about teachers unions?** Michael Greer, a retired special education teacher and former union president, claims that major teachers unions like the NEA and CTA have shifted their focus away from classroom instruction and toward accumulating political power and influence. **How much have teachers unions reportedly spent on political activities?** According to the North American Values Institute, the NEA spent at least $547 million on political activity and advocacy between fiscal years 2016 and 2025. Parents Defending Education reported that national teachers unions have funneled over $660 million to left-wing groups since 2015, with total spending exceeding $1 billion when including affiliates. **What specific changes has Greer observed in union focus?** Greer stated that union conferences have moved from practical instructional workshops for teachers to focusing on how to be union members, how to strike, and how to gain social justice power, shifting away from teaching educators how to teach. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/educator-claims-teachers-unions-prioritize-power-over-instruction. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Educator Claims Teachers Unions Prioritize Power Over Instruction", https://mediabias.news/politics/educator-claims-teachers-unions-prioritize-power-over-instruction