Remarks as prepared for delivery by Becky Pringle, President, National Education Association, to the 103rd Representative Assembly

Good morning, NEA! 

We will not march back to what was. We will move to what shall be— 

a country that is bruised, but whole. Benevolent, but bold. Fierce and free. 

Those words, from the poem, “The Hill We Climb,” were delivered in 2021 by the brilliant young poet Amanda Gorman at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Nearly four years later, we—the National Education Association—continue to embrace those powerful words. 

Refusing to march back to what was, we continue to demand that this nation move toward a just future—one that is benevolent and bold; fierce and free.  

We worked hard to rid ourselves of a tyrannical, deceitful, and corrupt White House, but the reality is that the seeds that were sown during that horrible season continue to germinate.  

Today, they sprout as vitriol toward our profession; increased marginalization of Black, brown, AAPI, and Indigenous communities; rising hatred toward our LGBTQ+ siblings. 

The seeds of hate manifest themselves as attacks against our freedom to teach;  

our students’ freedom to learn.  

They've mushroomed into the poisonous spores of a stacked Supreme Court—one that continues to render decisions that attack, diminish, and disregard the needs and lived experiences of far too many Americans. 

And now, the same court gave corporations the power to attack the critical services Americans have relied on for generations and laid the foundation to give Donald Trump immunity for his crimes against Americans and America. 

Through it all, undeterred and unwavering, we stand as one collective, clear in our resolve: We won’t go back! 

We will continue to embrace the profound trust that has been placed in us—to serve and support every student … to excite and encourage every student . . . to inspire the imaginations of every student as we guide them toward their greatness! 

We will take responsibility for defining professional excellence and for demanding the respect, dignity, and pay that every education professional deserves.  

NEA, we will keep our gaze fastened on the shared vision that is our luminescent North Star:  

To unite not just our members, but the nation to reclaim public education as a common good, as the foundation of our democracy, and then transform it into something it was never designed to be—a racially and socially just and equitable system that prepares every student, every one, to succeed in this diverse and interdependent world. 

With conviction and commitment, we will promote public education.  

We will showcase the dedication of our colleagues, and the brilliance of our students … all that is good, right, and true in our public schools. Because they are the heartbeat of every community.  

With determination and defiance, we will protect public education.  

We will fight privatization, vouchers, and any other scheme to drain resources from our public schools.  

Every day, we will demand that every school consistently has the equitable funding and the resources they need so that every student in every community has the support and opportunities they need to take their rightful places in the world.  

With passion and perseverance, we will strengthen public education, so it is a just system designed around the joy of teaching; a system with a deep sense of community and shared responsibility; a system where high expectations are matched with plentiful resources and supports.  

Let’s do a brief roll call of what you have done:   

In the 12 months that have passed since we met last summer in Orlando.  

In so many creative, courageous, and compelling ways you are already doing the work to promote, protect, and strengthen public education: 

In Maryland, the determination of their educators led to passage of the Freedom to Read Act, critical legislation that prevents state-funded libraries from banning books and protects school and library staff from retaliation. 

In Wisconsin, Racine Educators United designed a creative use of art to ensure LGBTQ+ students of color are seen, heard, and respected in their schools and in their communities. And speaking of Wisconsin, just yesterday Act 10 (that curtailed collective bargaining rights) was declared unconstitutional!   

In Massachusetts, paraeducators in the diverse Brockton School district used their power to make sure every student could see themselves.

They secured an NEA Read Across America grant and put hundreds of new library books on shelves.  

In Missouri, educator activists won critical protections and new benefits for retired educators. After a lifetime of work, their retirees are closer to having the secure retirement they have earned. 

Last fall, educators in Portland, Ore., called their first-ever strike. 

And after 15 days on the line, they won on every key issue—from class size to planning time to school safety and mental health, to increasing educator salaries! 

In Illinois, the Respect Campaign —and many campaigns like it—paved the way for the ESP (education support professional) Bill of Rights, a measure that recognizes something we have always known: The work of our education support professionals is vital to the learning and well-being of our students.  

Not to be outdone, NEA members in Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington state have created their own ESP Bill of Rights.  

And now Congress is considering a federal ESP Bill of Rights.   

At the core of these bills is the belief that all education support professionals are entitled to respect, inclusion, and visibility; they deserve safe working conditions, and … fair wages and benefits. 

One job—one job—should be enough! 

In Kentucky … Our Fayette County Education Association and Fayette County Education Support Professionals Association were both formally recognized by the Fayette County Board of Education last month!  

Plus, they got over 30 days of paid parental leave and a defined workday into policy and budget and pay increases that raised the starting teacher salary to $50,000.

In New Hampshire, just weeks ago, our members beat back a draconian voucher bill that would have had a devastating impact on public school funding—especially in small rural districts that are already struggling with sparse financial resources.  

And … in Virginia’s Fairfax County—the state’s largest school district—the consistent activism and advocacy of educators made history. They won collective bargaining for 27,000 teachers and education support professionals, setting the stage for improved wages and working conditions. 

So many stories, so little time. But there is a common theme in these and all the rest: When educators unite in one voice and unyielding activism our students win. We win.  

Our schools, and our communities and our country win. 

But delegates we know we can’t stop there … 

In the days to come, we will deliberate on the decisions that will bring our shared vision into reality.  

Here, in Philadelphia … the city that gave birth to democracy; a system that aspires to ensure all people have inherent dignity and worth; fairness and freedom …  

Here in Philadelphia … where in 1857, 100 members of the National Teachers Association laid the foundation for us—the 3 million member NEA.  

Here in Philadelphia … standing nearly 7,000 delegates strong as the largest democratic deliberative body on the face of the earth—we will make decisions that reflect … we won’t go back. 

That necessarily means our work must be about electing people who care about our students and educators; families and communities; our nation’s future. 

That’s why we will re-elect President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, our  Pro-childcare; Pro-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Pro-universal meals; Pro-voting rights; Pro-schools free of gun violence; Pro-racial and social justice friends who have been the strongest champions of public education, of educators, and of the labor movement in the history of our nation.  

And we can’t stop there.  

We must elect both a Senate and a House that will work with our president to advance student loan forgiveness; that will enhance the rights our LGBTQ+ community; that will protect a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body! 

And in every school district across this country, we will elect school boards that will support our students and educators. 

For all of these reasons, this Representative Assembly is about much more than four days.  

We must—and we will—leave this city committed to doing whatever it takes to build the path that will create more justice and equity for our students; more respect and dignity for our colleagues; and a better nation for us all. 

With courage and an indomitable determination, we will continue to demand that our nation make good on the promise that was made in this city nearly two and a half centuries ago: that everyone—everyone, ‘We the People’—would have access to happiness, life, and liberty. 

To promote, protect, and strengthen public education, we must advance educator respect and excellence.   

We will lead the changes we seek in public education that will create and sustain a professional environment where all educators have the professional authority and collaborative autonomy to make teaching and learning decisions for themselves and their students.  

We must advance student learning and well-being by organizing our members, partners, and coalitions to win the resources and equitable funding we must have to bring into reality our vision of safe, just, and equitable school communities that meet the needs of every student. 

And we must position ourselves to win all these things by securing a pro-public education environment. 

And this we know: Our ability to meet these goals is directly related to our strength.  

That is why we will organize for power.  

That requires building our capacity, readiness, and partnerships to take actions that lead to winning for our students and our educators and our communities.  

It means … knowing how to strategically and continuously harness our collective strength. 

Through it all … we must remember that when we answered the call to become an educator, we also answered the call of optimism: Of hope.  

But most of all, we answered the call to always find joy, not just in the eyes of our students, but in each other. 

As I look out at you, I hear the poetry of Dr. Drew Lanham.  

He reminds us that even in the midst of great challenge, we must pursue joy. Let his words instruct us...  

Joy is … equality’s demands made clear  

Joy is the truth—the crooked lies hammered straight. 

Joy is being loved up close … for who we are. 

Joy is equity—no equivocation. 

Joy is the generations come before—surviving the struggle; somehow staying strong in the midst of withering storms.  

Joy is school without fear. 

Joy is what was meant to be.  

Joy is the justice we must give ourselves. 

Delegates, as educators we know our joy is anchored in a deep sense of belief. 

As we hold in our hearts and minds all that we envision … as we demand that this nation make good on the promises made long ago in this city ... as we debate … as we create … as we care for and teach our students … as we call for the respect that all educators have earned … we must do it believing we will win. 

And when we grow tired -as we sometimes will—when there appears to be no way forward … just when we think we can't … 

NEA, we will remember who we are. 

We will be encouraged by the challenges we have already overcome. 

We will be sustained by the courage and the commitment of so many brave activists and ancestors who came before us. 

Like Harvey Milk, we will stand in our authenticity. 

Like Cesar Chavez, we will practice relentless activism.  

We will continue the outspoken dedication of disability rights advocate Judy Heumann, our NEA 2021 Friend of Education. 

Like activist Grace Lee Boggs, we will seek collaboration. 

We will organize, like Ella Baker.  

We will inspire, like Martin Luther King Jr.  

We will advocate unceasingly, like Faith Spotted Eagle.

We will strategize, like Bayard Rustin.  

But we must remember that … “Each generation must take and maintain its freedom with its own hands.”  

Educator and activist John Henrik Clarke understood his generation’s responsibility to fight for its own freedom, the question is: Do we fully understand ours?   

We can learn from, and be encouraged by, those who came before us.  

But their struggle—just like their progress—is now ours.  

Our fight and our victories will become the legacy we will hand off to future generations. 

That’s why I need you to be driven and sustained by the spirit of Harriett Tubman, who found her freedom here in Philadelphia. She used these words to encourage herself as she guided others out of enslavement: “Keep going.”   

NEA, in all of my years on this earth, this is what I know: The human spirit has always remained undefeated. 

Call on its power and determination. 

And keep going. 

Because, in the midst of every challenge … during every moment of change or perceived chaos … we will remember who we are. 

We are the ones who help shape the heart of this nation's hope and dreams.

We are the ones who hold steadfast to the belief in the plausibility of the possible. 

We are the heirs of all who did this work before us. 

We must keep going. 

NEA Delegates, we can do this work.  

We must do this work.  

We get to do this work.  

We will do this work. Because …  

Our students are depending on us to win all the things. 

So keep going NEA. 

Our colleagues are counting on us to win all the things. 

Keep going NEA. 

To preserve our democracy, we must win all the things.  

Delegates, we won't go back!  

We will keep going!  

Because. . . 

We are the NEA!  

And that’s what we do. 

Thank you. 

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.