RH Jones re: Untimely death of Ohio's #1 educator

From RH Jones, December 4, 2006
Subject: The tragic loss of Tom Mooney to education
To all:

Here is one multi-teacher union member who is deeply saddened by the untimely death of the number one educator in the State of Ohio, Tom Mooney. And, as a retired teacher, I am very sorry that Tom, so close to retirement, will not be able to enjoy it here on earth.

He has been the champion of all public school children, their active and retired teachers. He has been the untiring critic of a government, in the name of education, that takes money away from taxpayers an puts it into the pockets of entrepreneurial political friends. The major brunt of this tax "rip off" has been local property owners. They, like the children and their teachers, have suffered the most. While other union leaders remained nearly silent, he fought a rather long and lonely battle to reform public spending for public schools.

Heart attack deaths, at such a young age of fifty-two, can be caused by extreme stress. Gaining a correct, and proper, funding mechanism for public education was a major factor in this most strenuous effort. Lobbing politicians, who unrealistically have tried to run schools without adequate funding, may have caused some of this stress. However, Tom was successful in the recent election to "retire" most of them. And, for so many long years before the election, it has been extremely strenuous to communicate with a seemingly indifferent public. Active and retired teachers who have "been too busy", and neglectful to assist him, added weight for him. One wonders, if these folks will sleep well over the holidays. Tom Mooney's family is now without a joyful holiday. All of Ohio's citizens share their loss. We all grieve for Tom Mooney, the utmost champion of Ohio's greatest task: that of educating of children. Heaven now has gained a bright education star; may he enjoy his retirement there.

With heartfelt condolences to the Mooney family,

Robert Hudson Jones, an Ohio retired teacher