Nation’s Largest Teachers’ Union Sent a Map That Erased Israel and Labeled It Palestine
The National Education Association sent its 3 million members an email Friday containing a map that erased Israel and labeled the territory as Palestine. The map landed in educators’ inboxes and instantly stirred outrage among conservative commentators and advocacy groups. It’s the sort of material that can quietly shape classroom choices.
The North American Values Institute said the email provided teachers with resources for “teaching about indigenous peoples” that included the map along with materials defending Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and links to organizations that “glorify terrorism,” the Jewish News Syndicate reported. Those accusations forced the NEA into a hasty cleanup and left critics demanding answers. The episode spotlights how third-party resources can slip into high-profile distribution lists.
“It’s deeply troubling that the nation’s largest teachers’ union would promote materials trafficking in antisemitic tropes and attempts to rationalize the atrocities of Oct. 7, let alone elevate groups that glorify terrorism,” Steve Rosenberg, Philadelphia regional director for the institute, told the JNS.
The union removed the materials from its resource site after the discovery. Rosenberg criticized the quiet deletion as lacking transparency. “The NEA owes educators, parents and the public a full explanation and a sincere apology,” Rosenberg said, the outlet reported.
While the union scrubbed most offensive content, a “Native Land Digital” map remains on the site that labels Israel as “Palestine” and describes Palestinians as “indigenous” to the land. That presence keeps the controversy alive because the map is still reachable through the NEA’s resources. Teachers and parents who encounter it are left to wonder what vetting took place.
An NEA spokesperson blamed a third party for the content and said the union has “always opposed antisemitism.” “After we became aware of content on this website — particularly related to Israel and Palestine — we conducted our own deeper review including links to additional third-party hosted content. Upon review, we immediately removed it from the website,” the spokesperson told the New York Post.
The Anti-Defamation League, which the NEA cut ties with last summer, criticized the union on X. “This is not a simple oversight, but a shocking act that denies both history and present reality,” the ADL .
From a Republican perspective, this isn’t a neutral mistake; it’s evidence that major education institutions need stricter controls and clearer accountability. When a union that reaches millions distributes material that erases a longtime U.S. ally from a map, it’s reasonable for parents and policymakers to demand immediate clarity. A quick deletion without full disclosure won’t satisfy that demand.
Pragmatically, the questions are simple and urgent: who vetted these resources, which vendors supplied them, and what standards are in place to prevent political advocacy from seeping into classroom content. Conservative leaders and concerned parents want transparency about third-party partnerships and a public audit of materials pushed to educators. The NEA can either show its process or accept that trust has been damaged.
Accountability measures and public scrutiny will follow, and the NEA’s next steps will matter more than a brief removal. Republicans will be watching for concrete changes in vetting and oversight, not just PR statements. The map remains, and so do the questions.
