By Ben Velderman
EAGnews.org

NEW YORK – New York City schools forfeited $15 million in federal aid on Monday, after the United Federation of Teachers – the local teachers union – refused to sign off on a related grant proposal.

The grant would have provided New York City teachers and principals with “additional training and resources in the new teacher evaluation system” that’s being implemented this fall, said city Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, according to WNYC.org.

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The UFT’s reason for not cooperating?

Union officials “wanted to resolve outstanding issues related to implementing the evaluation plan first, such as reducing teacher paperwork,” WNYC.org reports.

That’s right – the union torpedoed the $15 million grant because it had concerns about teachers’ paperwork levels.

This kind of childish behavior should cause New Yorkers to turn against the UFT, but it won’t.

Too many city residents reflexively support labor unions; they’ll never believe the UFT is a selfish and destructive force in their community, regardless of the obvious and overwhelming evidence.

And UFT leaders know their influence in City Hall will grow significantly when Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s term ends in December. Based on the field of candidates in this year’s election, the UFT is reasonably certain the next mayor will be “teacher union friendly,” and eager to give the union whatever it wants.

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In other words, UFT leaders can act like pouty teenagers (or thugs), knowing that nobody is going to call them on it.

The Big Apple is very forgiving of Big Labor, regardless of the many outrages it commits against the schools, taxpayers and students.