FIRST ON FOX: The National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA), a parent-teacher organization many families associate with bake sales, book fairs and school fundraisers, is facing scrutiny over the group’s DEI and other left-wing political priorities trickling down to chapters.
A report from conservative watchdog Defending Education shines a spotlight on the trusted parent-school organization known for local volunteer work and school fundraisers, suggesting it has become involved in politically charged fights over race, gender identity, and immigration in Â
Defending Education asserts the examples show National PTAs left-wing priorities filtering into state and local affiliates, while National PTA told Fox News Digital its resources are meant to support respectful dialogue, family engagement and “safe, inclusive and welcoming school communities.”
“The NPTA is given a lot of credibility by the public, making it an authoritative voice on education issues from the parent perspective. It is deeply concerning when it advances far-left policies that are often very unpopular amongst parents nationwide,” Rhyen Staley, Director of Research for Defending Education, told Fox News Digital. “The NPTA should be a politically neutral organization that advocates for improving the education system and the success of all students.”
The National PTA’s own “curriculum and educational materials” describe as central to the organization’s mission and day-to-day work. Among the learning outcomes, according to the National PTA, is to “develop critical consciousness by recognizing racism … and developing a student’s awareness to openly address these situations.”
Meanwhile, a document part of a National PTA DEI initiative tells PTA leaders, caregivers, parents and educators that “it’s never too early to talk about race with your children,” while listing a recommended reading titled, “Your 5-Year-Old Is Already Racially Biased. Heres What You Can Do About It” by Andrew Grant-Thomas of the nonprofit Embrace Race. The same resource also recommends Robin DiAngelos controversial book titled “White Fragility.”
In addition to DEI initiatives, the National PTA priorities extend to . A National PTA position statement says districts should not voluntarily report undocumented students to ICE or other immigration authorities, supports treating schools as “sensitive locations” where immigration enforcement officers refrain from actions against students, and backs confidentiality for school records related to immigration status.
These left-wing political priorities from the National PTA stand in contrast to its stated mission of being “devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools,” the Defending Ed report suggests. The report also claims that these priorities are not just abstract, but are actually trickling into classrooms, citing a tranche of documents, materials and records from various state-level and local PTA chapters that are and families.
One of the state-level examples cited in Defending Ed’s report is the PTA, which passed a resolution in 2020 titled “Dismantling Institutional and Systemic Racism.” The resolution says Washington State PTA and its local chapters and councils should not only commit to being anti-racist, but also conduct anti-racism and equity audits, provide trainings on anti-racism, equity, inclusion and unconscious bias “at all levels,” and create anti-racism, equity and inclusion committees.
The resolution adds that the Washington State PTA would collaborate with district and school staff to prioritize and maintain “meaningful and ongoing … for all educators and staff … plus anti-racist and anti-bias pre-teacher training.”
“Washington State PTA believes firmly in educational spaces that are welcoming to all students, and learning environments where all students feel like they belong,” Tori Emerson, the
