Speaker Silver: The teachers' union pet - NYPOST.com

Speaker Silver: The teachers' union pet - NYPOST.com

It was crystal clear yesterday that New York's teachers unions aren't just joined at the hip with Assembly SpeakerSheldon Silver and the Democratic legislative leadership, they ARE part of the leadership.

The tragic evidence of their extraordinary power was out in the open for all to see minutes before the death knell tolled for Gov. Paterson's and Mayor Bloomberg's effort to win $700 million in federal "Race to the Top" education assistance.

Shortly before the Assembly planned to convene to at least consider the RTTT legislation, Education Committee Chairwoman Catherine Nolan (D-Queens) was huddled -- in full view of the public -- 30 feet from Silver's office with Carol Gerstl, counsel to the all-powerful United Federation of Teachers.