COLUMBUS — The Executive Council of the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) recently voted to endorse Sherrod Brown for Senate in the 2026 election. The Executive Council is made up of OFT member leaders from across the state. 

Melissa Cropper, OFT President, released the following statement about the endorsement: “Sherrod spent his career fighting for the dignity of work and economic justice for Ohio families. Ohio — and the rest of the country — were better off when we had his unabashedly pro-worker, pro-union, pro-education voice in the Senate."

COLUMBUS — Today, members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), and the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors (OC AAUP) filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas challenging an unconstitutional and discriminatory provision in the most recent Ohio state budget that strips educators of their rightful voice on the the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.

“This policy is the latest in a long line of attacks against educators in Ohio,” said Glenetta Krause, a district-wide teacher mentor for Cincinnati Public Schools and member of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, who is the lead plaintiff. “Statehouse politicians have underfunded our public schools, rolled back our collective bargaining rights, fully eliminated Ohio’s elected State Board of Education, and told us what we can and can’t teach. Now they’re taking away our representation on our own retirement board. This lawsuit is about restoring fairness and protecting our fundamental right to have a say in how our retirement is managed.”

Tell State Representative Bob Peterson, Chair of the House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee, to hold a second hearing on HB 719, a bipartisan bill that would protect elected seats on the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.

There has been just one hearing on HB 719 where only the sponsor was able to speak. Educators across the state deserve an opportunity to testify on HB 719, a bill that impacts their retirement..

“For decades, Sherrod Brown has stood up for Ohio workers and for quality public education. He fought against unfair trade agreements that hurt Ohio communities; passed the American Miners Act to keep Ohio mineworkers safe and healthy; passed the Butch Lewis Act to restore pensions for more than 100,000 Ohio workers; and protected Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act from relentless attacks. Most recently, in December 2024, Sherrod was able to pass the Social Security Fairness Act which ended financial penalties for public sector workers who were also due to receive social security benefits."

Congratulations to our 2025 Tom Mooney Memorial Scholarship winners: Santino Diligente and Addison Penny!

“It is clear from the policy choices made in this budget that Governor DeWine, Ohio House Speaker Huffman, and Ohio Senate President McColley value profits over people and stadiums over students."