At a recent conference of the National Education Association (NEA), Becky Pringle, President of the NEA, delivered a speech at their Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly in Philadelphia, which has garnered significant attention. During her speech, Pringle emphasized the importance of the union’s mission with fervent rhetoric, declaring, “We must win all the things, all the things, all the things in Pringle’s passionate delivery and her call for comprehensive victories in public education and beyond were met with criticism online, with some comparing her speech to a scene from Dwight Schrute of “The Office” due to its intensity.
Click Here to Watch a Short Clip of the Pringle Speech:
Corey DeAngelis, a prominent school choice advocate, reacted strongly to Pringle’s speech. He criticized her fervent approach and suggested that teachers’ unions like the NEA are overly focused on controlling the education system. DeAngelis remarked, “These power-hungry control freaks think they own your kids. They’re in a cult that worships government and detests parents. It’s time to defund teachers’ unions and allow the money to follow the child.” He also drew comparisons between Pringle’s delivery and the character Dwight Schrute from “The Office,” highlighting what he saw as the extreme nature of her rhetoric.
DeAngelis responded to Pringle on X with a graph showing public school spending since 1970, showing when adjusted for inflation that public school spending per student has grown by 152% and average teacher pay only growing 8%.
In the speech, Pringle highlighted the goals of the teacher unions:
1. Protecting Public Education Funding:
Teachers’ unions prioritize securing and increasing funding for public schools. They argue that public education is a cornerstone of democracy, and that adequate funding is essential for providing quality education to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Becky Pringle has been vocal about the need to protect public education from privatization efforts and any initiatives that drain resources from public schools.
2. Opposition to Vouchers and ESAs:
Vouchers and ESAs allow public education funds to be used for private schooling. Unions oppose these programs because they divert funds away from public schools, which they argue undermines the quality of education that can be provided to most students. Pringle has explicitly stated that the NEA will fight vouchers and any efforts that deplete resources from public schools.
3.Challenging Charter Schools:
While some charter schools are public, they often operate with more independence and less regulation. Unions argue that charter schools can lead to unequal education opportunities and that they can siphon off resources from traditional public schools. The NEA and AFT often advocate for stricter regulations on charter schools to ensure they do not adversely affect the public school system.
