NJEA inducts Beatty, Robertson and Dare into office - Maryam Sarhan,
Maryam Sarhan, a teacher in Pleasantville, opened the Delegate Assembly meeting with an inspirational message in which she talked about the way each of the new officers has inspired and motived her.

NJEA inducts Beatty, Robertson and Dare into office    

October 6, 2025 • • 3 minutes to read
October 6, 2025 3 minutes to read


NJEA President Steve Beatty, NJEA Vice President Petal Robertson and NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Tina Dare were formally inducted as NJEA’s officers in a ceremony at the Sept. 6 meeting of the NJEA Delegate Assembly. NEA President Becky Pringle officiated the induction following an inspirational message from Pleasantville Education Association member Maryam Sarhan. 

NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Tina Dare traced the story of her first years of teaching to her deeper involvement in the union. “I discovered my union and the power of membership. And suddenly, all the ‘my firsts’ became ‘our firsts.’ And that, to me, is what’s so beautiful about being part of a union. It is no longer what I care about. It is what we care about.” 
NJEA Vice President Petal Robertson related the story of a dress her mother had made for her for her sixth-grade graduation. Robertson told her mother it was “too much.”  “I will tell you, NJEA, what my mom told me: “‘You are put on this earth to shine, never to blend in.’” Robertson then told members, “At a time when people ask for your silence and would prefer that you be complacent, it is the time when you stand loud, it is the time that you stand up, it is the time that you wear the brightest dress in the room and you make sure that you are heard, that you are seen, that your power is visible.” 
Members treated NEA President Becky Pringle, who officiated the swearing in, like a rock star and lined up to greet her. From left: Hudson County EA President Marquisha Reynolds, NEA Director and Camden County Council of EAs Vice President Laurie Gibson-Parker and Pringle. 
NJEA President Steve Beatty shared the stories of family, friends and colleagues, “I move every day with that simple question, ‘Is this good for our members, or is this bad for our members?’ Being part of a union means none of us stand alone. We lift each other up. We fight for what we deserve and what our students deserve and what our communities deserve. When educators have a strong union, and stand in solidarity, we can protect and strengthen our public schools for everyone.” After addressing delegates, NJEA President Steve Beatty led the assembly in Pete Seeger’s “Solidarity Forever.” 
NJEA’s newest officers celebrate their formal induction with friends and family.
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