Teacher union endorsements

The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers will vote on its endorsements for the November elections at a membership meeting tonight, president Tim Kraus said.



The union, the region's third largest, represents about 2,700 workers in Cincinnati Public Schools. Most of its planned endorsements are standard fare for organized labor, with one notable exception:



For City Council, the CFT intends to endorse all of the Democrats except incumbent Jeff Berding, Kraus said. Instead, Charterite Roxanne Qualls will get the nod in his place.



"Qualls has been a long time friend of education, and we haven't felt that Berding has been as supportive," Kraus said.



For the CPS school board, the union will back former TV reporter Michael Flannery, prevention educator Chris Nelms and teacher Eve Bolton, who's union president in Wyoming City Schools.



The union will also recommend a "yes" vote on every money issue on the ballot, including CPS' 9.95-mill levy.