A Manhattan judge struck down a request from the city Department of Education for an emergency ruling as officials try to keep at least 82 teachers suspended without pay for allegedly submitting fake COVID-19 vaccine records.
After a labor arbitrator found last month the Department of Education had violated the staffers’ “due-process protection,” the DOE asked a state judge to find the arbitrator could not intervene and requested an injunction from the court.
But on Friday Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arlene Bluth ruled against the request for a temporary restraining order.
A hearing has been scheduled for the city’s petition in less than two weeks.
“New York City has lost its bid for an injunction that would have allowed the city to suspend without a hearing more than 80 teachers who have been accused — but not found guilty — of falsifying their COVID vaccination status,” said a spokesperson for the United Federation of Teachers.
The DOE is attempting to keep 82 teachers suspended without pay for allegedly submitting fraudulent COVID vax cards. APIts members were placed on unpaid leave in April, before the UFT says allegations that their vaccine cards were fraudulent could be proven — leading the union to argue its members could not be disciplined without due process.
Dozens of the teachers have claimed they got the jab at a Long Island pediatric center known for offering holistic and natural remedies — where two nurses were charged for allegedly doling out fake vaccine cards to hundreds of customers, The Post has previously reported.
Teachers who spoke to The Post admitted to paying Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare in Amityville — but for “detox” treatment to offset reactions to the vaccine, not for the cards.
“While a request for a TRO (temporary restraining order) was denied, the case is not over,” said a spokesperson for the Law Department.
“We’ll continue to make our case that this arbitrator exceeded his authority which undermines DOE’s authority to enforce an important public health initiative protecting students, school staff and the broader community.”
The hearing on the city’s petition will be held on July 19.
