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Missing from story of courts’ constraint of Bloomberg: schools

UFT lawyers after a legal victory over Mayor Bloomberg in 2012.

The New York Times has realized the biggest lesson that we took away from 2012: Mayor Bloomberg can’t always get what he wants.

But it neglected to look toward Bloomberg’s Department of Education for proof.

Days after a legal ruling that blocks Bloomberg from carrying out his sugary-drinks ban, the Times tallied other recent instances when Bloomberg’s grand plans have been stymied. From the story:

Adverse rulings have become a recurring impediment for a mayor accustomed to getting his way. Courts or administrative regulators have blocked the Bloomberg administration from mandating fuel emissions standards in New York City’s taxicabs, expanding street-hail car service beyond Manhattan, and changing eligibility requirements for homeless people seeking shelter.

Add “closing struggling schools” to that list. It was just three months into Bloomberg’s third term when a judge ruled that the way the Department of Education proposed school closures had broken the law. Nineteen schools stayed open for another year.

A similar lawsuit in 2011 was unsuccessful in halting another round of school closures. But then, last year, a labor arbitrator determined — and explained in withering language — that the city’s strategy to “turn around” 24 struggling schools violated its contracts with the teachers and principals unions. The city appealed the decision in court but was quickly shut down.

Also last year, supporters of two charter schools that the city wanted to close sued and won. Both Williamsburg Charter High School and Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School remain open.

In non-school closure setbacks, Bloomberg has lost multiple rounds of a protracted legal battle to stop the city from having to release records about the process (or, potentially, the lack thereof) that led to Cathie Black’s three-month stint as schools chancellor in 2011.

  • http://nyceducator.com/ NYC Educator

    I like that you call him loomberg. I think looming is what he does best, for almost 12 years so far.

  • Les Vegas

    GS, you’ve been playing a little loose and sloppy the last few days.

    Those aren’t UFT lawyers in your picture. One is a lawyer, one is the Secretary, and one is the Director of Staff.

    Yesterday, you included a picture with your UFT Florida retiree article that was clearly taken at the UFT Manhattan office.

    Who is editing these posts?

  • vanna

    I am so tired of listening and hearing stories about the mayor. Does he not realize that most NYers do not like him? Is his stupid ego that big that he is naive thinking that the people love him? I believe the courts even hate him now that is why so many of his cockamany ideas are rejected by the courts. Thank God for justice.

  • vanna

    I believe the courts look for ways to discredit this zany mayor and his zany ways and ideas. We should look at potential candidates in the future and make sure they were not bullied when they were kids…Clearly, this is the case with this sorry mayor. He MUST have been bullied as a kid and now he wants to use this mayoral power to strike back. Please leave go away and bring your rule book with you

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