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Person

Becky Pringle

Born:

1955
Occupation:

President, National Education Association (NEA)

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Rebecca Pringle is a teacher and teachers’ union officer working as the president of the National Education Association (NEA), America’s largest labor union. Pringle has been an outspoken opponent of reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic, even to the point of supporting teacher strikes against school districts.

Pringle worked as a teacher for more than 30 years and steadily climbed the ranks from her local NEA union to the national organization. She became known for her focus on combatting discrimination in the public school system and has been called a “fierce social justice warrior.” 17 18 Measures for the $580,000 plan include increased access to sex-change procedures for LGBT youth and school employees, training for NEA members to address “anti-LGBTQ legislation or rhetoric” 19 increased professional development courses and increased contract protections for LGBT educators. 18 18 In an interview, Pringle supported the approved LGBT measures despite not knowing what their implementation would look like, stating, “Even for us who are staunch advocates for LGBTQ rights, there’s still more you have to learn…that’s why it needed to be as expansive as it was, because we’re still on our learning journey.” 18

References

  1. “Our President.” National Education Association. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.nea.org/about-nea/leaders/president.
  2. Snyder, Susan. “Girls’ High grad to lead the National Education Association, the country’s largest union.” Philadelphia Inquirer. August 6, 2020. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.inquirer.com/education/becky-pringle-nea-union-leader-coronavirus-social-justice-20200806.html.
  3. Mattera, Julianne. “Former Susquehanna Twp. School District teacher elected vice president of the National Education Association.” Penn Live. January 5, 2019. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2014/07/former_susquehanna_twp_school.html.
  4. Shamlin III, Wilford. “Education official stresses the logic of diversity.” Philadelphia Tribute. February 16, 2016. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.phillytrib.com/news/education-official-stresses-the-logic-of-diversity/article_22438094-2468-51ec-bd9b-2a3202c21643.html.
  5. Besha, Kalyn. “Incoming head of nation’s largest teachers union says it’s time ‘to turn up the heat.’” Chalk Beat. August 7, 2020. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.chalkbeat.org/2020/8/7/21359386/becky-pringle-new-president-national-education-association-teachers-union.
  6. “Teachers Group Seeks Changes in Education Law.” New York Times. July 4, 2006. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/education/04brfs-004.html.
  7. Walker, Tim. “NEA Elects Pringle, Moss and Candelaria to Leadership.” National Education Association. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/nea-elects-pringle-moss-and-candelaria-leadership.
  8. “Elevating Teaching, Empowering Teachers.” National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.nbpts.org/.
  9. “President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts.” Obama White House. July 30, 2014. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/07/30/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts.
  10. “Education Through Crisis: NEA Resources.” National Education Resources. October 14, 2020. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educating-through-crisis-nea-resources.
  11. “Becky Pringle.” Twitter. March 23, 2021. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://twitter.com/BeckyPringle/status/1374418828604579845.
  12. Otterman, Sharon. “Union Shifts Position on Teacher Evaluations.” July 4, 2011. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/us/05teachers.html.
  13. Will, Madeline. “New NEA President: ‘We Are Not Going to Put Our Students at Risk’ for COVID-19.” Education Week. August 6, 2020. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/new-nea-president-we-are-not-going-to-put-our-students-at-risk-for-covid-19/2020/08.
  14. “NEA President Becky Pringle comments on violence at U.S. Capitol.” California Teachers Association. January 7, 2021. Accessed March 24, 2021. https://www.cta.org/press-release/nea-president-becky-pringle-comments-on-violence-at-u-s-capitol.
  15. “Becky Pringle.” Twitter. March 17, 2021. Accessed March 24, 2021.  https://twitter.com/BeckyPringle/status/1372334993893117955.
  16. “Becky Pringle.” Twitter. March 17, 2021. Accessed March 12, 2021.  https://twitter.com/BeckyPringle/status/1370481480535801858.
  17. Reese, Reagan. “Unearthed Video Shows Teachers Union President Ranting and Raving on Stage, Calling Students ‘Our Babies.’ Daily Caller, July 14, 2023. https://dailycaller.com/2023/07/14/unearthed-video-teachers-union-president-rant-students/
  18. Will, Madeline. “‘We Say Gay’: Largest Teachers’ Union Pledges to Fight Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies.” Education Week, July 6, 2023. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/we-say-gay-largest-teachers-union-pledges-to-fight-anti-lgbtq-policies/2023/07
  19. Reese, Regan. “Nation’s Largest Teacher’s Union Votes To Officially Promote Child Sex Changes.” The Daily Caller, July 7, 2023. https://dailycaller.com/2023/07/07/nea-union-teachers-child-sex-changes/
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