The teachers union president who delivered a viral "off-the-rails" speech has visited the Biden White House more than 20 times.
Becky Pringle of the NEA advocated for schools to become more equitable by addressing racial disparities.
The head of the largest teachers' union, who faced mockery over the weekend for delivering an "unhinged" address, has visited the White House multiple times during Biden's presidency.
According to a review by Planet Chronicle Digital, NEA President Rebecca "Becky" Pringle visited the Biden White House at least 24 times between 2021 and early 2024, as shown in White House visitor logs.
In March, Pringle met with Lael Branard, Biden's national economic advisor, a month after meeting with Jade Cabrera of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
In October 2023, Pringle visited the White House twice with Vice President Harris's Deputy Chief of Staff Erin Wilson. Additionally, Pringle visited the White House in February 2024 and December 2023 as part of large gatherings with President Biden.
In 2023, Pringle had at least two meetings with First lady Jill Biden's aides, including her special assistant and senior adviser, as well as a meeting with Susan Rice, who was then the White House Director of Domestic Council.
In January 2021, one day after Biden was sworn into office, Pringle participated in a virtual event with the first lady and AFT president Randi Weingarten. She also had a one-on-one meeting with President Biden in December 2022. Throughout 2021 and 2022, Pringle attended several highly-attended White House events.
At the NEA's Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly (RA) in Philadelphia, Pringle advocated for transformative social justice change in the education system to achieve equity.
Pringle stated that in order to unite not only our members but the entire nation, we must reclaim public education as a common good and transform it into a system that is racially and socially just and equitable, which was never its original intention.
She stated that despite working diligently to remove a tyrannical, deceitful, and corrupt White House, the truth is that the seeds planted during that terrible time continue to grow.
She pledged to safeguard public education and declared, "We will combat privatization. We will combat vouchers. We will combat any and all strategies to divert resources from our cherished public schools," implying school choice.
Pringle, who donated $2,800 to Biden's 2020 campaign and $500 to the Biden Victory Fund, stated that the union's work should focus on electing individuals like President Biden and Vice President Harris, pledging to support their re-election this year.
The union is pro-DEI, a controversial concept that has sparked backlash at various levels of government and private companies across the United States.
In January, the Florida Board of Governors enacted a regulation restricting public funding for DEI initiatives, which are defined as any program, activity, or policy that categorizes individuals based on race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and favors certain individuals based on such categorization.
Corey DeAngelis criticized Pringle's recent comments on school choice, labeling her as a "power-hungry control freak" who believes she owns children.
""Becky Pringle is a control freak who thinks she owns other people's children. She is part of a cult that worships the government and detests parents. It's time to defund teachers unions and allow the money to follow the child," DeAngelis said."
In a panel discussion last year, Pringle emphasized the importance of prioritizing "racial" and "social justice" in US education policy.
Pringle stated that education justice must encompass racial justice, social justice, and climate justice for the NEA.
"To ensure our students are prepared to learn every day, we must recognize that education is not a standalone system. Instead, it is interconnected with issues such as housing justice, food inequality, and the global pandemic's impact on marginalized communities. Therefore, we must address these interrelated issues to promote equitable education for all."
During the pandemic, Pringle faced criticism from her teachers union when she earned more than $500,000 while schools were closed and teachers were receiving lower salaries.
The White House and NEA did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's inquiry about Pringle's visits to the White House.
Planet Chronicle Digital's Hannah Grossman and David Rutz contributed to this report.
politics
You might also like
- California enclave announces it will cooperate with immigration officials and the Trump administration.
- Danish lawmaker urges Trump to abandon Greenland acquisition plan.
- Now, the Dem who labeled Trump an "existential threat to democracy" is obstructing his nominees.
- The lawyer for Hegseth criticizes the "dubious and inaccurate" testimony of his ex-sister-in-law.
- The House GOP outlines a plan to improve the healthcare system, emphasizing its impact on national defense.