Starting today, I'll do a weekly roundup of New York City union boss Randi Weingarten's most ridiculous statements from the week past. An occasional spot in the Gadfly (see here and here, for example) just doesn't do justice to the incredible dexterity with which she warps logic and reason.
This week's selection comes from this article in yesterday's New York Times about a New Teacher Project report showing that "New York City is paying $81 million over two years in salaries and benefits for teachers without permanent teaching jobs":
The report drew praise from city officials. But Randi Weingarten, the president of the United Federation of Teachers, dismissed it, calling the New Teacher Project a "wholly owned subsidiary" of the Education Department.... "The most repulsive part of this report is that the D.O.E. is abdicating its responsibility to help the teachers who, through no fault of their own, have lost their positions," Ms. Weingarten added. "It's the quintessential blame-the-victim strategy."
Yes, that's right Randi, it's not these teachers' fault that they can't find open positions in the biggest system in the country. I'm sure these teachers are all America's best and brightest.
