NEA President Princess Moss Declares Union Will Stop Endorsing Parties

Princess Moss took the helm of the National Education Association with a direct mandate for its three million members: drop the party labels. The new president of the nation's largest teachers union said she wants the NEA to become its own political authority, ending the long-standing practice of aligning the organization with a specific political party.

Moss, who serves a three-year term, outlined her strategy during a period of intense pressure on public schools. Inflation continues to strain local education budgets, and a new federal tax credit directing dollars to private schools takes effect in January. Simultaneously, the Trump administration is dismantling the Department of Education. Moss described the situation as a "resistance to renaissance," arguing that public education is the foundation of democracy and is currently under attack.

The union's shift away from partisan endorsement marks a change from recent history. In 2020, the NEA recommended Joe Biden for president, and in 2024, it issued a formal endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris. Moss, who previously led the Virginia Education Association from 2004 to 2008, said she learned to build coalitions across the aisle in a state with a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled general assembly. She plans to apply that experience at the national level as midterms approach.

Her background in rural Virginia shaped her approach to the role. Moss, the daughter of two school bus drivers in Spotsylvania County, worked as an elementary school music teacher for more than 20 years. She credited her second-grade teacher, Lucy T. Lewis, with inspiring her career after the teacher praised her intelligence in 1968 even after she misspelled the word refrigerator in front of the class. Moss said she wants to help students be their best even when they make mistakes, a philosophy she now applies to union leadership.

Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, called the move a huge departure for the NEA, which has historically been a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party. He noted that many state-level races are leaning toward Democrats, placing unions in a strong position to drive education policy. Petrilli, who has long critiqued union positions on teaching methods and salary rules, said he is open to seeing how the NEA uses that influence this year.

Moss told members to focus on the needs of their students rather than the political affiliation of their opponents. She said the union will work with anyone who prioritizes public education, regardless of their party or inclination. The NEA's new leadership aims to keep the organization at the decision-making table by emphasizing professional expertise over partisan identity.