Formerly a Florida news reporter, Mary Ellen has written for NEA for 21 years, covering everything from the need for guaranteed bathroom breaks for teachers to the plight of students with undocumented parents to the need for more recess in schools.
Her current beat is higher education, union power, and anything that educators are talking about. She's recently extended her talents to audio journalism and training NEA staff and members on the art of storytelling.
The Latest from Mary Ellen Flannery
A Day of Learning and Organizing for Power
NEA RA delegates attend workshops that will help them grow their unions and power
‘Let’s Go Back to Our Campuses and Do What We Do’
NEA’s Higher Educator of the Year urges educators in Denver to fight for academic freedom and grow their unions
10 Questions with 10 People at the NEA Representative Assembly
What are the biggest issues in public education today? And what are the favorite snacks at the NEA RA? We find out!
Meet NEA’s Newest Read Across America Ambassador
WNBA legend Helen Darling says, “Reading is my game.”
Building Power, Saving Public Education, at the 2026 NEA Representative Assembly
With public education under attack, thousands of NEA members will meet in Denver to steer the nation’s largest labor union
What It’s Like to Teach Sociology Today
In Florida, it can be scary. In most other states, sociology classrooms are a place where critical conversations about society are freely cultivated.
The Crisis in College Accreditation and Why It Matters
Proposed changes to accreditation would help politicians to dictate and censor what’s taught in college classrooms.
Filipino History in Schools: No Longer Ignored
Hawaii teachers and students have a new Filipino history and culture curriculum.
Facts & Stories with the 2026 NEA Higher Educator of the Year
This year’s NEA Higher Educator of the Year is Clinton Smith, a Tennessee professor of special education.
The Education Case for Single-Payer Healthcare Systems
From coast to coast, NEA members and their affiliates are working toward healthcare systems that improve people's health and education.
Cover Story
The Joy of Teaching
This is still a great job! Educators share their secrets for staying—happily—in the profession.
Newsflash: Unionized Faculty Get Paid More Than Non-Union Faculty
While faculty salaries increased slightly, on average, in 2025, new NEA research shows they still lag behind pre-pandemic salaries.
Feature Article
The Black Teacher Pipeline Starts at HBCUs
Aspiring Educator chapters at Historically Black Colleges and Universities are a key support for future Black teachers, who represent a small fraction of teachers overall.
Cover Story
“We Deserve to Be Paid”
Contingent and part-time faculty want equal pay for equal work. Why not now?
Bargaining AI in Higher Ed
NEA Higher Ed unions are protecting the human heart of education.
NEA Files Emergency Motion to Stop ICE Enforcement Near Schools
The chaos and fear caused by federal agents around schools, churches, and other sensitive locations needs to end now.
As Fear Grips Schools, Minnesota Educators Mobilize to Protect Students and Families
Around the Twin Cities, parents and educators are countering ICE's presence.
5 Things You’re Going to See in Public Education in 2026
Check out NEA Today’s predictions for the year to come. They point to better educator pay, more cellphone bans, and more.
Feature Article
The Best Shoes for Educators (Recommended by Educators)
We know that happy feet mean healthy educators—and the right pair of shoes can save your ankles, knees, hips, and back!
Cover Story
Strategies for Teaching Boys
Boys today are less likely to go to college and more likely to struggle with loneliness and lack of purpose. NEA members are working to change that.
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