In a decision that underscores the protections afforded to union leaders under Virginia’s collective bargaining laws, a neutral arbitrator has ruled that Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) committed unfair labor practices by refusing to rehire former Prince William Education Association (PWEA) President Mary “Maggie” Hansford in August 2025. Hansford, who led the union through historic wage negotiations, described the ruling as a moment of “relief and gratitude” in an exclusive statement to Potomac Local News.
The case centers on PWCS’s denial of Hansford’s applications for a speech-language pathologist position and a substitute teacher role. The school division cited media reports of a Virginia Education Association (VEA) audit alleging mismanagement during Hansford’s PWEA presidency, which led to an emergency trusteeship imposed on July 21, 2025. The trusteeship, which suspended Hansford and the PWEA board, was upheld following a contentious 14-hour hearing in August 2025.
