Princess Moss pledges NEA independence from partisan labels

Princess Moss has taken the helm of the National Education Association with a clear directive: stop aligning with political parties. Moss, who leads the nation's largest labor union representing three million teachers and public workers, says the organization must become its own political authority. She argues that the current climate requires a strategy that prioritizes professional autonomy and community organizing over traditional partisan ties.

Moss describes her approach as a movement from resistance to renaissance. She cites the current economic and political environment as a driving factor, noting that inflation is straining school budgets while a new education tax credit begins directing federal funds to private schools in January. Simultaneously, the Trump administration is dismantling the Department of Education. Moss states that public education and the students it serves are under attack, a condition she believes threatens the foundation of democracy.

Her background informs her leadership style. Moss grew up in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, the daughter of two school bus drivers. She credits her second-grade teacher, Lucy T. Lewis, for inspiring her career. Moss recalls Lewis praising her intelligence in 1968 after she misspelled the word refrigerator in front of the class. That experience shaped Moss's belief in helping students reach their potential despite mistakes. She spent more than 20 years as an elementary school music teacher in a neighboring county before rising through state union ranks. She served as president of the Virginia Education Association from 2004 to 2008.

During her time in Virginia, Moss learned to build coalitions across political lines. The state then had a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled general assembly. She focused on issues rather than party affiliation to find allies. She plans to apply that tactic during her three-year term at the NEA. She urges members to talk about their students' needs rather than framing education as a Democrat or Republican issue.

Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, views this shift as a major departure. He notes that the NEA has been a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party, having endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024. Petrilli has previously criticized teacher unions for blocking teaching changes and enforcing strict salary rules that complicate hiring. However, he says he is open to seeing how Moss executes her plan, especially with many state-level races leaning Democratic.

Petrilli suggests that the unions are in a strong position to drive education policy if they can push Democratic governors to act. He frames the coming year as a test of how the NEA wields that power. Moss responds by focusing on building a broad coalition. She says the union will work with anyone who prioritizes public education, regardless of political inclination or party.