NEA Embraces Political Activism
The largest teachers’ union in the U.S., the National Education Association (NEA), seems to be taking a more active political stance. Recently, new leadership was elected, including one member with ties to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). During its convention, the NEA also passed resolutions aiming to publish materials against ICE and in support of gender ideology. Additionally, dues were raised by $10. About 6,000 delegates convened in Denver, Colorado, for the NEA’s Representative Assembly from July 3-7.
“The NEA is asking teachers to pay higher dues to spend more money on influencing elections, training candidates, and organizing against ICE and Israel,” said Erika Sanzi, the senior communications director at Defending Education (DE). “This isn’t a professional organization that supports its members but rather a political advocacy group that doesn’t truly represent the teachers it claims to serve.”
Delegates selected Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), for the NEA’s Executive Committee. Myart-Cruz had previously spoken at the DSA’s 2019 National Convention.
Former NEA vice president Princess Moss was elected as the new president of the nearly three-million-member union at the assembly.
Both Moss and Myart-Cruz did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation. The DSA also opted not to provide comment.
“Together, we will continue to fight for the resources and professional respect teachers deserve because investing in public education is about investing in the future of every student,” Moss said in a press release. “I’m eager to amplify our union’s legacy and work with our members to ensure every student, regardless of ZIP code, has access to quality public education.”
Moss has often shared posts about her pastor, Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, who made headlines for labeling Charlie Kirk as “evil” and questioned honoring a “man who was an unapologetic racist” shortly after Kirk’s assassination in September 2025.
One resolution passed at the assembly called for the NEA to publish resources regarding the “destructive impact” of agreements between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Another resolution focused on publishing information about the harms associated with conversion therapy for queer individuals.
“The Representative Assembly is a chance for educators to unite and work towards stronger public schools so every student can achieve their full potential,” a spokesperson for the NEA remarked. “This year, members voted to ensure that every school has at least one full-time registered nurse, increase personnel for hands-on instruction, and enhance training for new Career and Technical Education teachers, all aimed at improving student outcomes and aiding the educators preparing them for a brighter future.”
Workshops held during the assembly included topics like “Championing Every Student by Engaging Race, Class, and Community Power,” “Everyone Belongs Here: Tools for Supporting LGBTQ+ Students, Educators, Parents, and Communities,” and “Hope Floats!: Organizing for Power to Anchor Racial and Social Justice in the Floods of Authoritarianism.”
Kim Anderson, the NEA executive director, mentioned that the union had won 83% of its ballot measure contests. “While this administration spends taxpayer dollars on extravagant projects and book bans, NEA stands firm on our principles and fights back,” Anderson stated, lauding the previous NEA president, Becky Pringle, for addressing anti-DEI policies from the U.S. Department of Education.
“We shouldn’t just be at the table; we need to own it,” Anderson emphasized, highlighting that over 4,000 NEA members had been elected to various political positions in the last four years.
