Former Pennsylvania middle school teacher and current President of the National Education Association Rebecca Pringle works tirelessly to improve conditions in schools for both teachers and students. Photo credit: NEA
A former Pennsylvania educator who now serves as the current President of the National Education Association works tirelessly to improve conditions in schools for both teachers and students. She is Rebecca Pringle, who has logged an extensive career as a middle school science teacher.
Rebecca was born in 1955 in Philadelphia. As a young girl, she attended Philadelphia High School for girls, one of the city’s most prestigious magnet schools. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her Master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University.
Once she completed her education, Rebecca taught middle school science in the Susquehanna Township School District for 28 years. In total, her career in the classroom spans 31 years.
Throughout the years she served as a classroom teacher, Rebecca also served in a number of roles in the NEA, an organization that currently serves three million members nationwide. Her first position was Secretary/Treasurer. In 2014, she was elected NEA’s Vice President. In 2020, Rebecca assumed the mantle of President. This position earns Rebecca the title of the highest-ranking African American female labor leader in America. In this role, the indefatigable union leader has worked tirelessly to limit federal testing requirements, increased funding for schools, greater equity for students, and to make teacher evaluation and accountability practices more fair.
For her work on behalf of fellow educators, Rebecca has earned many accolades. She is a recipient of the National Peace Medal for Leader of Educational Excellence; a recipient of the Black Women’s Roundtable Education Innovation & Social Justice Leadership Award from the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; the Woman of Power Award from the National Action Network; and she was named Community Woman of the Year by the American Association of University Women. For her efforts on behalf of teachers nationwide, President Barack Obama selected Rebecca to be a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. Her work on the Commission included addressing issues on teacher recruitment and retention, STEM access and opportunities, and college preparation and completion.
To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this biography of her published on the website of the NEA.
