Opinion

Mike’s second chance

Last week’s ruling in a key teacher- union suit against the city didn’t fully end the matter — but it could breathe life into Michael Bloomberg’s hopes of being the Education Mayor.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Paul Feinman’s ruling nixed (for now) a union bid to block the city from shutting 22 atrocious public schools and placing 15 charters in buildings with traditional schools.

But the case itself remains alive — and the union vows to press on. More important, the labor bosses are as determined as ever to keep sabotaging school reform.

Let’s be honest: No reasonable person would want those 22 schools kept open — unless his or her job were at stake.

One example: As The Post’s Sue Edelman described in horrific detail last month, Harlem’s MS 344 has been an utter zoo, with kids running wild, toppled trash cans, flying books, mouse droppings, ransacked classrooms . . .

Oh, and threats of violence.

With Feinman’s decision, the city can move to close MS 344 and the other 21 schools. But the union — with its paid ally, the NAACP — is pressing on with its case; if it wins, it will insist they be re-opened. Likewise with the charters: The union’s suit may ultimately shut them.

And make no mistake: The fight goes well beyond these 37 schools. At bottom, it’s about who runs public education in New York — the mayor or the union?

Bloomberg wrested technical control of the schools from the unaccountable, often corrupt Board of Education system in ’02. But the question always was: Can a mayor survive inevitable union resistance? “Control” is little good if other labor-friendly laws let the union nonetheless impose gridlock and win the day.

The mayor had to prove his power was real. That he would push new laws to prevent absurd, picayune legal challenges, such as this lawsuit. That he could make teacher contracts truly workable.

Alas, the mayor never seemed to have the skill or, maybe, the interest to follow up.

This year, even his threat to lay off thousands of teachers produced only a modest concession from the union.

But who knows? Maybe there’s still time to save his legacy.

Closing those 22 schools and opening the 15 charters would be a good start. Beyond that, the judge’s ruling can prompt a stronger offense by the mayor — in Albany and in contract talks.

But the clock’s ticking. If he wants to make reforms — and have them stick — he needs to move. Fast. Aggressively.

Remember: It’s not just his legacy at risk but also the fate of a whole lot of kids.