Maybe the Legislature’s leaders’ reluctance to renew mayoral control of New York City’s public-school system is more than just an effort to torture Mayor Eric Adams. Their latest pick for the Board of Regents, which controls the State Education Department, is certainly a grim sign.

With Speaker Carl Heastie’s Assembly Democrats firmly in control, the Legislature in joint session this month appointed Shino Tanikawa to a five-year term on the board as of April 1.

Heastie’s been shifting the Regents to the far left — anti-standards, anti-choice, anti-accountability — ever since he took over as speaker, but Tanikawa is his most radical pick yet.

She has a clear record of being anti-testing, arguing that standardized tests are racist and even seeming to suggest that academic success is an indicator of white privilege. Critics call her not just anti-white, but even anti-Asian — at least, anti-Asians-who-support-excellence. (Chinese language WeChat groups erupted in an uproar when news of her appointment broke.)

Tanikawa is also an ardent opponent of mayoral control and of charter schools. The Soho resident has also pushed for eliminating Gifted & Talented programs, screened admissions to middle and high schools and the test-in-only entry to specialized high schools.

She once wrote a fellow Manhattan Community Education Council 2 member: “I have no interest collaborating with you on policy positions until you exhibit your commitment to anti-racism work” — “anti-racism,” of course, being the label for outright racism in the name of racial justice.

She also has a history of bad-mouthing parents who disagree with her. As a key member of the de Blasio School Diversity Advisory Group, she took a “burn the house down” approach rather than reaching out to find common ground.

In short, she’s the polar opposite of new city Chancellor David Banks, who argues that “literacy is equity” — meaning that the best thing public schools can do for racial justice is make sure kids learn to read, and then to excel academically.

Worse, her appointment puts the Board of Regents fully in the thrall of ideologues and teachers-union lackeys dedicated to watering down or outright eliminating all standards of achievement and excellence.

Fundamentally, until the voters revolt and force Heastie to change course, state education policy will be set by people fundamentally opposed to making sure schools teach what kids actually need to learn.

Which, since Adams and Banks are firmly pro-excellence, suggests that Heastie (with the connivance of state Senate leaders) may actually intend to kill mayoral control if he’s not forced to do it as part of this month’s budget resolutions.