March 12, 2007
Dear CFT/ACPSOP Member,

I am writing to you to let you know that I will be stepping down as CFT president to become president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. This was a very difficult decision to make. My life and career have been closely tied to this local union and the Cincinnati Public Schools. I grew up here. I’m a product of this school district, I went to college here and I taught for 23 years in the district before becoming CFT president. It’s hard to leave home.

However, I want you to think back to the time when Tom Mooney was first elected as OFT president. When Tom became state president, it wasn’t like we lost a local leader, rather Cincinnati’s teachers gained a voice in Columbus that knew our issues first-hand. I want to keep a strong Cincinnati presence in our state organization and in the state-wide education debate. Only by running for the office left vacant by Tom’s untimely death can I be certain that our views on school funding, standards, testing, special education, public education, vouchers, charter schools, health care, pensions and a wide range of other topics will be kept front and center on OFT’s agenda.

My term as state president begins immediately, but for a time I will still be concentrating on my role as CFT president to assure that an orderly transition will occur. I feel confident in my decision to seek state-wide office knowing that other CFT leaders are well prepared to lead our union.

  The CFT Elections Committee shall meet to revise the time-line for self-nominations and for the upcoming CFT election. I also know that the union is ably served by a very competent and dedicated professional staff....-->