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Has the NEA Lost Its Way? My Local Still Knows What Matters
By Richard Morgan, President, Mat-Su Classified Employees Association7/9/2025
As a longtime educator, coach, school employee, and proud union member, I believe in the power of organized labor to protect workers’ due process rights, negotiate fair contracts, and improve public education. The National Education Association (NEA), founded in 1857, was created to elevate the teaching profession, ensure fair treatment for educators, and promote strong public schools for all. That mission—practical, unifying, and student-focused—once reflected the shared values of teachers, support staff, and families across this country.
But in recent years, something has changed. NEA’s national leadership seems to have shifted away from its core purpose—supporting educators and improving schools—and moved toward a more ideological and politically charged path. That concerns me, not just as a union leader, but as someone who has devoted his career to public service.
The NEA should be focused on the fundamentals: fair wages, safe learning environments, sustainable benefits, and meaningful professional support for all school employees. These are the issues that matter most to frontline educators. Unfortunately, too often, national leadership appears more invested in symbolic politics and divisive rhetoric than in solving the real challenges facing our members. Worse yet, this leadership has created an echo chamber where dissenting views are ignored or silenced, leaving many members feeling unheard and disconnected.
At national conventions, I’ve watched debates that prioritize ideology over practical policy. While powerful national statements grab headlines—like comparing immigration detention centers to concentration camps—frontline concerns about staffing shortages, rising insurance premiums, and the professional development needs of Education Support Professionals (ESPs) go unaddressed. That kind of language may stir emotions, but it does little to strengthen our schools, help our students, or support our educators.
And it's taking a toll. We are steadily losing members—good, hardworking people—because they no longer feel the union reflects their values or priorities. That loss weakens all of us.
I’m also troubled by how our dues are being used. Union members work incredibly hard—often in roles that go unseen and underappreciated. They deserve to know that their contributions are going directly toward member support, not partisan campaigns or national agendas that feel disconnected from daily school life.
Just imagine if even 10% of our national dues were redirected locally—how many ESPs could pursue teacher certification, or how many mentorship hours we could fund in our own schools. We could build loan reimbursement programs for ESPs, create mentoring initiatives that connect classified employees with experienced educators, and provide real, hands-on support. That’s how we build a pipeline from classified to certified. That’s how we invest in our people and strengthen public education from within.
Let me be clear: this is the work we’re committed to at the Mat-Su Classified Employees Association.
Strong, local leadership is essential. Leaders who listen to all points of view—not just the loudest voices—build trust and unity. When union leaders engage openly with their members, respect diverse perspectives, and focus on real issues, they fight effectively for what truly matters: fair wages, job security, safe schools, and respect for all employees. That kind of leadership empowers members, strengthens our community, and helps us weather challenges together.
Here in Mat-Su, our priorities are simple and focused: advocate for fair wages, protect job security, improve affordable healthcare, and uphold respect for all school employees. We meet our members where they are. We show up at school board meetings, walk through worksites, and negotiate in good faith. We believe that unity comes not from political agreement, but from shared purpose.
The national union may be losing sight of who it serves—but we haven’t. And I know we’re not alone.
To union members across the country: don’t give up on your locals. Engage. Speak up. Let’s steer this union back toward its roots. Let’s reclaim the middle ground—where we acknowledge America isn’t perfect, but still worth fighting for—and where we can have honest, respectful conversations about how to do better. Because unions should reflect the voices of their members—not the politics of the moment.
Richard Morgan
Longtime Educator and President, Mat-Su Classified Employees Association
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District