Published: May 2026
First Appeared In NEA Today, May 2026
Dear NEA members,
I am honored to serve as your president.
United, we will reclaim public education as a common good and transform it into a racially and socially just system that actually prepares every student—not one, not some, but every single student—to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world. Onward!
Becky Pringle
NEA President
Quote byBecky, speaking at the Los Angeles “No Kings” Rally, March 28, 2026
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. We are the reaction to this administration’s action of terrorizing our communities with ICE raids; stripping away resources from our public schools, demoralizing working families; taking food out of the mouths of our babies and healthcare away from our seniors. Silence is the lifeblood of authoritarianism. So we will not be silent. We will fight back and we will fight forward for a world where our schools are sacred spaces, where every child feels safe and welcome at school, and where every educator is respected. We will create a world that is worthy of our students.
—Becky, speaking at the Los Angeles “No Kings” Rally, March 28, 2026
Face to Face With NEA members
Meeting educators has always been the very best part of my job! This spring, I visited members in Delaware, “The First State,” where educators are making union activism their top priority. The Delaware State Education Association (DSEA) delivered historic raises for teachers and education support professionals and are now working toward a $60,000 starting teacher salary. They protected educator time, secured paid leave, won more personal and sick days, and fewer mandatory trainings. They also prioritized student wellness, with more play-based learning environments, and won more than $100 million for school‑based mental health professionals. And they preserved healthcare benefits and protected school funding! Way to go DSEA!
JOIN ME
3 Things To Do For Yourself and Your Union
Organize with your local union.
In light of the current political crisis facing our members, our schools, and our very democracy, the 2026 NEA Representative Assembly, in July, will build on the momentum of No Kings and May Day. Delegates will train and plan to expand our organizing efforts when they get back home to their affiliates. Follow along below and look for important messages from your states in July and August.
Get ready for the November elections!
Now is the time to start planning for the critical midterm elections. Our students’ future, public school
jobs, and our democracy depend on our informed participation.
Give some gratitude for yourself!
It’s the end of another school year—congratulations! Please take some time to appreciate what you accomplished. Breathe. Reflect. And then give yourself credit for the difference you made in your students’ and colleagues’ lives this year.
In the News:
“All students, regardless of race, place of birth, or language they speak, deserve schools that are safe, welcoming and free from fear—no exceptions.”
—Becky, on The 19th, February 26, 2026
What I’m Talking About: Organizing for Power
This moment requires all of us working in solidarity. We must organize for power to create safe, just, and equitable schools for our students and educators; an economy where one job is enough and all workers are treated with dignity; and a democracy that delivers for everyone, not just the privileged few. I have challenged our members to act—every day. Learn how at nea.org/Protect.
Take an action every day, because we will not allow the Trump administration to privatize our schools, restrict our voting rights, erode civil rights, attack our unions, or silence our voices so that they can march unchallenged toward unfettered power. We can’t just be outraged by what’s happening, we have to use that anger to courageously stand in this season of suffering, to not turn away from our understanding that we are the ancestors of future generations.
The struggle of this lifetime is our responsibility. I know you will never give up on our kids, our communities, and this country.
Learn More
Find out how NEA is working every day for and with educators, students, and public schools. Read “We Are NEA!”.
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