NEA Leadership: Moss Aims for Nonpartisan Union Strategy

Princess Moss has taken over the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the United States, with a mandate to redefine the group's political approach. The NEA represents three million teachers and public workers across every state. Moss intends to move the organization away from traditional partisan alliances while facing rising costs and federal changes. She described the current environment as a period where public education and students are under attack. Her strategy focuses on professional autonomy and community organizing rather than party loyalty.

Moss grew up in rural Spotsylvania County, Virginia, as the daughter of two school bus drivers. She credited her second-grade teacher, Lucy T. Lewis, for inspiring her career. In 1968, Lewis told Moss she was smart even after the student misspelled the word refrigerator in front of the class. Moss later worked as an elementary school music teacher for more than 20 years in a neighboring county. She served as the president of the Virginia Education Association from 2004 to 2008 before moving to the national level. She now faces a three-year term during a complex political climate.

The new leadership aims to become its own political authority. Moss stated that the union should not align itself with a specific political party. She believes this approach allows the organization to function as an expert at decision-making tables. During her time in Virginia, she worked with a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled general assembly. She built coalitions across the aisle by emphasizing that public education serves everyone. She plans to bring that same mentality to the national union as midterm elections approach.

Moss is instructing members to focus on the specific needs of their students rather than party labels. She told members to ask what their students need and to avoid making education a Democrat or Republican issue. This direction marks a shift from recent union activity. In 2020, the NEA recommended Joe Biden for office. In 2024, the organization issued a formal endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris. The union has historically been a strong supporter of the Democratic Party.

Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, noted that this change would be a major departure for the NEA. He has long held reservations about teachers unions, arguing that their positions can block changes to teaching and strict salary rules make it hard to fill certain jobs. However, he said he is open to seeing how the new leadership proceeds. He pointed out that many state-level races are leaning toward Democrats, who are longtime allies of the union. He believes this puts unions in a strong position to drive education policy. He questioned what the unions will push these Democratic governors to accomplish.

Moss remains focused on building a broad coalition of support for public schools. She said the union will work with anyone who puts public education first, regardless of political inclination. The union faces a backdrop of inflation straining school budgets. A new education tax credit that directs federal tax dollars to private schools takes effect in January. The Trump administration is currently dismantling the Department of Education. Moss said the bottom line is working with those who prioritize public education.