New NEA Boss Vows Teachers Union Will Stop Backing Political Parties

Princess Moss wants the National Education Association to stop picking political sides. The new president of the nation's largest teachers union, representing 3 million members, plans to steer the organization away from its traditional alignment with the Democratic Party. She argues that public education is currently under attack from multiple directions, including inflation-driven budget pressures and a federal education tax credit for private schools that takes effect in January.

Moss stated that the union needs to become its own political authority. She described her strategy as moving from resistance to renaissance, focusing on professional autonomy and community organizing. The administration is currently dismantling the Department of Education, creating a challenging environment for public school advocates. Moss said, "Public education is under attack. Our students are under attack. The very foundation of this democracy is public education, that is under attack."

The shift in leadership style is a break from recent history. In 2020, the NEA recommended Joe Biden for president. In 2024, the union issued a formal endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris. Moss, who will serve a three-year term, intends to change that pattern. She told members to talk about student needs rather than party labels. "Don't make it a Democrat or Republican issue," she said.

Moss brings experience from her time in Virginia, where she served as president of the Virginia Education Association from 2004 to 2008. She grew up in Spotsylvania County, the daughter of two school bus drivers. Her second-grade teacher, Lucy T. Lewis, inspired her career. Lewis praised Moss's intelligence in 1968, even after she misspelled the word refrigerator in front of her class. Moss later worked as an elementary school music teacher for more than 20 years.

Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, noted that a nonpartisan stance would be a huge departure for the union. He said the NEA has been a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party. Petrilli also noted that the union often blocks changes to teaching methods and maintains strict salary rules. He observed that many state races are leaning toward Democrats, giving unions a strong position to drive education policy.

Moss said she will work with anyone who prioritizes public education, regardless of party affiliation. She emphasized that she has built coalitions in the past, working with a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled legislature in Virginia. The NEA will continue to focus on issues like professional autonomy while approaching the midterms with a new strategy.