Mayor Bloomberg blasted a judge’s ruling as “sick” Friday for compelling the city to reinstate a high school teacher who was canned for heroin possession.
The judge said the firing of Williamsburg HS for Architecture and Design teacher Damian Esteban was too harsh a punishment — even though the educator had been busted carrying heroin into court for jury duty.
“What is he going to do – use it or sell it in the jury room?” an incredulous Bloomberg asked on his weekly WOR radio appearance.
“This has gone crazy. There’s something sick about this decision and I can’t conceive of what goes through somebody’s mind.”
While he initially aimed his ire at an independent arbitrator, Bloomberg later reversed course and noted that the arbitrator had approved Esteban’s termination — while it was Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Manuel Mendez who overruled the decision this week.
Mendez cited the 34-year-old teacher’s spotless record in his decision, which the city vowed to appeal.
“Forget about the bad guy bringing heroin to the jury room, or to the courthouse – that stupidity there,” said Bloomberg. “This is not somebody that should be in front of our kids.”