NEA Leadership: New President Seeks Independent Political Identity

Princess Moss has taken the helm of the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the country with three million members across all states. She intends to shift the organization's political stance by distancing it from specific party alignments during her three-year presidency.

Moss describes the current environment for public schools as challenging. Inflation is straining district budgets, and a new federal education tax credit begins in January that directs funds to private institutions. Meanwhile, the administration is reducing the scope of the Department of Education.

She frames the union's mission as moving from resistance to renaissance. While she emphasizes professional autonomy and community organizing, her primary strategic goal is to establish the NEA as its own political authority. This means the union will no longer formally align with either major political party.

Moss grew up in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, as the daughter of school bus drivers. She cites her second-grade teacher, Lucy T. Lewis, as a key inspiration who encouraged her in 1968 despite her spelling errors. Moss later taught elementary music for more than two decades and served as president of the Virginia Education Association from 2004 to 2008.

During her time in Virginia, she worked across a divided state government to build support for education issues. She now applies that coalition-building approach to the national union ahead of midterm elections. She urges members to focus on student needs rather than party labels, stating that the union should remain at the decision-making table as experts.

Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, notes that this approach represents a major departure for a group that has historically backed Democratic candidates. The NEA endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024. Petrilli observes that with Democrats favored in many state races, the union is in a strong position to influence education policy.

Moss says she will work with anyone who prioritizes public education, regardless of their political inclination. She aims to broaden the coalition of support for schools by keeping the focus on students and practical needs rather than partisan battles.