United Federation of Teachers head Randi Weingarten had a headache-inducing piece in yesterday’s New York Sun, in which the teachers union leader complains that the New York City school district administration is unfairly going after teachers. Weingarten writes that “the city recently announced a new way to ‘get rid’ of teachers — an ominously named ‘teacher performance unit’ headed by a prosecutor, rather than by educators.”

Thing is, this hardly a “new way” around the onerous due process demanded by the union every time a teacher is considered for termination — all the district is doing is hiring lawyers to assist with carrying out all the due process. Joe Williams at Democrats for Education Reform had it right (with humor!) — this is simply application of due process, which the UFT only wants, apparently, when due process obstructs the firings of bad teachers:

Many union leaders tell you that they don’t want bad teachers either, but that due process must be followed. Now it turns out that is a load of bull too. The plan announced this week by the Department of Education brings in a team of lawyers to engage in due process up the wazoo. They will eat due process for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They will wake up in cold sweats at night from dreaming about due process. They will scream “due process!!!” in the throes of passion. Because that is what the union has demanded through collective bargaining.

The union also held a candlelight vigil to protest the new hirings. Shouldn’t we save that tactic for something a little more extreme than the fulfillment of due process?