Finally: The Post is no longer alone in claiming the teachers union acted in bad faith in talks with the city. The union’s boss says so himself.
That’s right: United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew has admitted he and his union are “at war with the reformers.” He said they sought “to one more time wink at Bloomberg” — the union had clashed bitterly with the former mayor — “and say ‘gotcha.’ ”
Mulgrew confessed his real aim was to “gum up the works” to thwart any teacher ratings: “We had a goal that this year would be the first and only year” teachers were subjected to the new system.
He further admitted he’d concealed his true intentions from New Yorkers. These are “things I don’t get to say in public,” Mulgrew explained. In fact, the only reason we know about his remarks, which he delivered to union delegates privately, is because someone secretly taped and leaked them to Chalkbeat.
Anyone still wonder why there was no deal on a new teachers contract since 2009? Anyone still doubt our skepticism that ineffective teachers will really be let go under the new system? Parents are right to be livid. It’s “cynical,” says parent activist Campbell Brown. Mulgrew “does not care about kids.”
In the end, Mulgrew’s secret war paid off. He waited for a sympathetic mayor, Bill de Blasio, to give him what he wanted. And as StudentsFirstNY Executive Director Jenny Sedlis noted on these pages Friday, the city’s kids got little in return.
Then again, Mulgrew was just doing his job: protecting his members. Even if it does come at the expense of school children.