Documents obtained by the education watchdog group Defending Education show the National Education Association (NEA) promoting the use of “neopronouns” and “xeopronouns” in training materials, while also questioning the use of the name “America” and discouraging the term “homosexual,” according to the materials reviewed, as reported by The New York Post.
The documents include presentation slides that outline what the NEA describes as neopronouns, defined in the materials as “new” pronouns such as “xe/xem/xyr.”
The slides also reference xeopronouns, which the materials say are used for what are described as “conceptual identities,” including examples such as “cat/cats/catself.”
Test scores are at an all time low. The National Education Association couldn’t care less that kids can’t read, write or do math as they indoctrinate them… as long as they learn those pronouns. https://t.co/Wnkf1IyUeo
— Steve McLaughlin (@SteveMcNY) December 16, 2025
The materials were obtained by Defending Education, a national watchdog organization that tracks political and ideological activity in K-12 education.
The NEA, which reports having more than 3 million members nationwide, represents teachers and education staff across the United States.
Beyond gender-related language, the documents also show the NEA referring to the country as “what we know as the United States of America” and “what we now call the United States of America” in multiple slides.
The phrasing appears repeatedly in the training materials, according to the documents.
The same materials also advise against using the term “homosexual,” stating that the word “comes across as clinical and dog whistle-y.” The slides do not replace the term with a specific alternative but flag its use as problematic.
Nicole Neily, founder and president of Defending Education, said the documents reflect a broader pattern seen in materials obtained by the organization over several years.
“These documents — as well as other leaked materials we’ve obtained over the past several years — underscore that union leadership cares more about politics than their students’ well-being,” Neily said.
“Teachers are meant to educate children, not serve as agents of social change.”
The release of the documents comes as education policy continues to draw national attention following changes at the U.S. Department of Education and a series of executive actions under President Donald Trump.
Those changes have been framed by administration officials as an effort to refocus schools on academic fundamentals.
Despite those shifts, the NEA remains one of the most influential organizations in American education, with a presence in school districts across the country and a long history of political advocacy.
During the administration of former President Joe Biden, union leaders were frequent visitors to the White House, reflecting the organization’s close ties to Democratic leadership.
The documents also surface as student academic performance continues to be a focus of national debate.
The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to as the nation’s report card, showed that students have not returned to pre-pandemic levels in math, reading, or science.
The assessment measures long-term trends in student achievement nationwide.
Defending Education said the materials raise questions about classroom priorities at a time when schools are facing ongoing challenges in academic recovery.
The organization has called for greater transparency around training materials provided to teachers and has encouraged parents to review what is being introduced in classrooms.
The NEA has not publicly responded to the specific documents cited by Defending Education.
The materials continue to circulate as policymakers, parents, and education groups debate the role of teachers’ unions, curriculum content, and the balance between academic instruction and broader social issues in public schools.
