NEA President Princess Moss Vows to Break Union's 30-Year Democratic Alliance

3 million educators and public workers now answer to a new leader who intends to change how the National Education Association interacts with elected officials. Princess Moss, the organization's new president, says the union will stop formally aligning itself with a political party. She wants the NEA to act as its own political authority rather than a reliable voting bloc for one side of the aisle.

Moss describes her leadership vision as a move from resistance to renaissance. She argues that the current political climate has placed public education under attack. Inflation is straining school budgets while a new federal tax credit begins directing money to private schools in January. Simultaneously, the Trump administration is dismantling the Department of Education. Moss states that the foundation of American democracy is public education and that it is currently under threat.

The shift in strategy marks a stark departure from recent history. For decades, the NEA has operated as a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party. In 2020, the union recommended Joe Biden for president. In 2024, it issued a formal endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris. Moss says she wants members to focus on specific needs in their classrooms rather than partisan labels. She urges teachers to talk about their students and what those students require without making the issue a Democrat or Republican fight.

Moss brings experience from her time leading the Virginia Education Association from 2004 to 2008. During that period, she worked in a state with a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled general assembly. She built coalitions across the aisle by emphasizing that public education serves everyone. She says she found allies in unexpected places when she focused on issues rather than party loyalty. She intends to apply that same mentality to the national stage during her three year term.

Skeptics question whether this new approach will stick. Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, calls the move a huge departure for the NEA. He notes that the union has long been a key partner for Democratic candidates. Petrilli has previously criticized teachers unions for maintaining strict salary rules that make it difficult to recruit staff and for blocking changes to teaching practices. He remains open to seeing how Moss navigates the year but believes the union is in a strong position to drive education policy in states where Democrats are favored to win.

Petrilli questions what the union will do with its influence. He asks what specific policies the NEA will push Democratic governors to implement. He suggests that the power dynamic has shifted in a way that favors the union's longtime allies. However, Moss remains focused on building a broad coalition of support for public schools. She says the organization will work with anyone who prioritizes public education, regardless of their political inclination or party affiliation.

Moss grew up in rural Virginia as the daughter of two school bus drivers. She credits her second grade teacher, Lucy T. Lewis, with inspiring her career. She remembers Lewis encouraging her in 1968 even after a mistake in spelling. Moss went on to teach elementary school music for more than 20 years before rising through union ranks. She says she wants to help students reach their potential, a mission she believes requires a new political stance for the NEA.