#Outrageous demands, illegal threats from teachers-union chief Mike Mulgrew

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UFT prez Michael Mulgrew threatened a job action if the school system’s 1.3 million students and staff aren’t tested for COVID-19.
Gregory P. Mango

Bare weeks before city schools reopen, United Federation of Teachers boss Michael Mulgrew dropped an 11th-hour bomb — demanding testing of the system’s 1.3 million students and staff before doors open, and threatening an illegal job action if he doesn’t get his way.

“The minute we feel the mayor is trying to force people into an unsafe school, we go to court, we go to job action,” said Mulgrew.

City Hall accused the union boss of fearmongering. After all, all signs are that the virus is under control here, with new cases at a minimal level and officials on top of even minor outbreaks.

Asked to clarify his threat, Mulgrew huffed, “It all leads to the same place under the law: the union receiving all sorts of penalties, I go to jail, all of that. And that’s all fine; we’ll [walk out] if we have to.”

He says the city must have “a rigorous and intensive testing system in place” before his members can feel safe returning to classrooms. Yet it’s next to impossible to test 1.1 mill­ion students and 200,000-plus teachers and other staff by Sept. 10.

Statewide, just 50,000 to 80,000 COVID-19 tests are being done a day right now. It would take at least three weeks to do what Mulgrew demands — setting all other testing aside — and at least another month to get back all the results. In-person instruction couldn’t start until mid-October.

School children would be consigned to remote-learning purgatory for more lost months of learning.

Meanwhile, Mulgrew’s members would continue to collect free money for not educating a good chunk of the city’s students — especially the neediest, who have the biggest trouble with remote classes.

Mayor Bill de Blasio needs to keep his spine — and threaten action if top UFT leaders call an illegal strike.

New York’s schoolchildren deserve a mayor who’ll stand up for them.