Tom Mooney
Ohio Federation of Teachers president diesAssociated Press
Akron Beacon Journal, December 4, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Tom Mooney, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers the past six years, has died, his brother and a co-worker said. He was 52.
Mooney died Sunday [12/03/06] of an apparent heart attack at his home in Columbus.
Mooney, who spent 21 years as president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers before moving to the state union, was a critic of using public money for private school vouchers. He also had been pushing for tougher standards for publicly funded, privately run charter schools.
"Tom has worked so hard for so long and to have this happen and to have him not see the fruits of his labor is so sad," union spokeswoman Lisa Zellner said.
Mooney started his career in education as a Cincinnati high school government teacher.
"We're just stunned and disappointed that somebody who had so much to give to his friends, his family and his profession would die so young," said his brother, Don Mooney, a Cincinnati attorney.
Besides his brother, Mooney is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, his mother and two sisters.
Funeral arrangements were pending.
The Ohio Federation of Teachers represents more than 20,000 members, including public education employees, higher education faculty and support staff, and public employees, according to its Web site.
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