NEA members and leaders descended on Capitol Hill last week to stand up for protecting students and public schools.
Hundreds of NEA members, parents, students, allies, and a dozen members of Congress braved the snow to join a Feb. 12 rally, led by NEA President Becky Pringle, to protect students and public schools. Speaker after speaker shined a spotlight on the importance of the federal role in education and how shutting down the U.S. Department of Education would hurt students, educators, and public schools nationwide.
“As I travel around the country, I have heard from parents and educators that they want more resources, more opportunities that will help students live into their brilliance. They do not want to dismantle public schools and privatize them,” NEA President Pringle said.
“Quite the opposite,” she continued. “Instead of sending money to private schools, they want us to strengthen public schools, where 90% of all children attend, not take money away from them. They want to partner with us—at the local, state, and federal levels—to make sure our schools have what they need so we can reduce class sizes, recruit qualified staff, and keep students safe.”
The day after the rally, the Senate held a hearing on the nomination of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education. NEA President Pringle and members of NEA’s Board of Directors attended the hearing.
Meanwhile, in face-to-face meetings, other Board members advocated for relief for schools stricken by natural disasters, and against vouchers and tax giveaways to billionaires. They also reinforced NEA President Pringle’s message, urging members of Congress to oppose McMahon and the Project 2025 plan to dismantle the Department of Education and weaken public schools.
Check out our toolkit and tell Congress what you think!
In solidarity,
Marc Egan
Government Relations Director
National Education Association
The Educational Choice for Children Act (S. 292/H.R. 817) would create a voucher-inspired tax credit scheme that costs $10 billion a year and weakens the public schools that educate 9 out of 10 Americans.
CHEER: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Jahana Hayes, (D-CT), Alma Adams (NC), Greg Casar (D-TX), Mark Takano (D-CA), Jill Tokuda (HI), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Becca Balint (D-VT), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) attended the Feb. 12 rally on Capitol Hill led by NEA.
CHEER: Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) introduced the Job Protection Act (S. 408/H.R. 1035), which would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to include all workers who have been at their employer for more than 90 days, regardless of employer size or hours worked.
CHEER: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) introduced the Caring for All Families Act (S. 437/H.R. 1002), which would update the definition of “family” in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to reflect today’s realities.
CHEER: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) introduced the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (S. 455/H.R. 1061) to codify policy in place for over a decade, and once again allow immigrants to feel safe in schools, healthcare facilities, and places of worship.
CHEER: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) stressed the importance of public funding for public schools, especially in rural states like Alaska, at the hearing on Linda McMahon’s nomination as Secretary of Education.
CHEER: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) addressed sexual harassment and Title IX at the hearing on Linda McMahon’s nomination as Secretary of Education.
CHEER: Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) raised the issue of honoring collective bargaining agreements at the hearing on Linda McMahon’s nomination as Secretary of Education.
CHEER: Sen. Susan Collins for (R-ME) identified Title I, TRIO and IDEA as priorities at the hearing on Linda McMahon’s nomination as Secretary of Education.
