The National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, has stepped into the fight for gay marriage.

The union's membership voted to support laws legalizing civil unions and gay marriage. The group has also backed efforts to repeal federal legislation that the union believes discriminates against same-sex couples.

The Baptist Press reported one union member was booed when trying to speak against the resolution at a recent NEA conference, when they said marriage should be between a man and a woman.

A video of Bob Chanin, outgoing chairman of the NEA appeared on the Web site YouTube. The video showed Chanin delivering a profanity-filled speech in which he criticized conservatives for trying to interfere with their agenda.

"NEA and its affiliates will continue to be attacked by conservative and right-wing groups as long as we continue to to be effective advocates for public education, education employees, and human and civil rights," he said.

The NEA collects hundreds of million dollars in union dues each year. Teachers with religious objections to paying those dues can give their money to charity instead.