The Virginia Education Association (VEA) has voted to keep the Prince William Education Association (PWEA) under state trusteeship, extending a takeover that began in July after an audit raised questions about the local union’s finances and governance.
The decision came Sunday, August 24, 2025, after a nearly 16-hour hearing the day before in Manassas. In an email to members, trustee Linda J. Cook, a former Fairfax local president, said the VEA Board of Directors had “carefully considered” testimony and affirmed the trusteeship imposed initially on July 21.
The VEA audit cited altered meeting minutes, missing receipts, unsigned checks, undocumented reimbursements, and contingency spending that it said pushed PWEA toward a financial crisis. The report also raised concerns about excessive travel and duplicate reimbursements.
VEA officials argued the trusteeship was necessary to restore stability and accountability to one of the state’s largest local unions.
Suspended PWEA President Maggie Hansford said the decision was expected but unfair. She told Potomac Local News the hearing validated concerns that the trusteeship was politically motivated and not about the audit.
Testimony revealed that VEA leaders had been considering a trusteeship even before the audit began, Hansford said. Hansford also questioned the independence of the review, noting the auditor had worked with VEA for years.
Hansford criticized the way members were treated during the hearing. Public comment, scheduled for 5 p.m., did not begin until nearly midnight. Each member was given one minute before the microphones were cut, sometimes mid-sentence.
“Our members were definitely not heard. By the time they spoke, board members were packing up their bags,” Hansford said.
Tensions Over Security and Dues
The hearing was initially planned for George Mason University. Still, after the venue declined due to student move-in, VEA moved it to a Manassas-area hotel and brought in both police and private security. Teachers in attendance questioned the need for guards, describing the atmosphere as overly restrictive.
Hansford also pushed back on criticism of dues increases. She said state and national dues imposed by VEA and the National Education Association have risen as much as 19 to 26 percent in recent years, forcing PWEA to pass along some of the cost to members. “The majority of your dues dollars go to VEA,” she said.
Hansford said PWEA leaders are regrouping, giving site leaders time to return to their schools and hear from members before making decisions. Options include forming a new organization or competing in the next PWEA election.
She emphasized she remains a member in good standing and eligible to run for president again. “It shouldn’t be the people at the state level determining who leads locally in Prince William. That decision belongs to our members,” Hansford said.
PWEA’s Record
Under Hansford’s leadership, PWEA became the first large Virginia local to secure a collective bargaining contract with a school division. The agreement brought new benefits for educators, including paid parental leave, paternity leave, bereavement leave without requiring a death certificate, and greater access to union representation in workplace disputes.
Membership also grew to more than 4,000, with a significant expansion of site-based leaders trained to represent colleagues.
Despite those gains, the trusteeship leaves PWEA’s future uncertain as state and local union leaders remain at odds over control, accountability, and direction.
