UFT’$ Dem pals form roadblock to charters

There’s an “attitude against charter schools” in the Democratic-controlled state Assembly despite a waiting list of more than 52,000 students, according to a top legislator who’s a member of the party.

There are currently 235 charter schools in the city serving 123,000 students.

The remaining 57 slots authorized by the state are taken for future schools — as parents desperately are scrambling to land a spot for their kids.

“In my conference, there has been an attitude against charter schools. There will be pushback against raising the cap,” said Assembly Education Committee Chair Michael Benedetto (D-Bronx).

“But you never say never. We’ll evaluate it. I’m not ruling it out.”

Benedetto, a retired teacher first elected in 2004, revived complaints that charter schools don't serve as many special-needs students as regular public schools and push out troubled kids.

Opposition is also fierce in the Senate, which in past years was procharter when Republicans were in the majority.

But the new Democratic majority — elected with the help of the United Federation of Teachers — is cool to charters.

The union spent more than more than $1 million in battleground races in the suburbs last year to help Democrats win control of the Senate through its political action committee, Fighting for Our Future.

“It’s well known that the teachers union opposes charter schools. Many legislators respond to the union. They run with union backing. The union is powerful,” said City Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. (DBronx), a charter supporter.

Queens state Sen. John Liu (D), a former city comptroller and city councilman who received $12,370 from the UFT for his prior races, is among those opposing newcharters.

“The charter cap should be increased only when charter schools are subject to the same public-accountability standards as public schools. For every family waiting for a spot in a charter school, there are more families waiting for a spot in a coveted public school,” he said.

Two other first-term Democratics senators — Alessandra Biaggi of The Bronx and Julia Salazar of Brooklyn — also gave a thumbsdown to a charter expansion.

Both received $11,000 campaign contributions last fall from New York State United Teachers.

“We absolutely need to maintain the current cap. This is non-negotiable,” Salazar said.

In my conference, there has been an attitude against charter schools. There will be pushback against raising the cap.

— Assembly As Education Committee Chair Michael M Benedetto (D-Bronx)