A group of House Republicans sent a letter Friday to the New York City Department of Education calling for more information about the NYC DOE allegedly sending the fingerprints of unvaccinated teachers to the FBI.
The Daily Caller first obtained the letter, which was spearheaded by Republican New York Rep. Nick Langworthy and signed by fellow Empire State GOP Reps. Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Anthony D’Esposito, Elise Stefanik, Claudia Tenney and Andrew Garbarino. In the letter, the lawmakers mention the NYC DOE’s practice of reportedly assigning “Problem Codes” to the records of teachers who decided not to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Many teachers who were fired for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons have reportedly struggled to get rehired due the problem codes they were assigned.
“As you know, The Problem Code in question serves disciplinary purposes, and whether the codes are permanent or temporary is irrelevant. Shockingly, the same Problem Code used to flag unvaccinated teachers is also utilized for individuals accused of molesting, raping, or harming a child. As a result, these codes have a profoundly negative impact on the flagged educators and can hinder their future employment prospects,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter. (RELATED: Employees Fired For Refusing COVID Vaccine Labeled With ‘Problem Codes’ That Were Sent To FBI, Legal Group Says)
The New York Republicans asked the following questions in the letter:
- What is the purpose of these Problem Codes and how are they utilized by the New York City Department of Education?
- Can you explain the discrepancy between City Hall’s claim that the Problem Codes have no external consequences and the reports stating otherwise?
- Is it true that the same Problem Code used for unvaccinated teachers is also used for individuals accused of child molestation, rape, or harm to a child? If so, why are these different situations treated the same way?
- How and when are educators informed about the presence of a Problem Code in their record?
- Did the Department send educators’ fingerprints to the FBI and the New York Criminal Justice Services?
- Can you address City Hall’s denial of the occurrences related to the sharing or flagging of fingerprints and the inclusion of Problem Codes?
- Are there any plans to review or revise the current practices and policies related to the assignment of Problem Codes based on personal medical decisions?
- What steps will be taken to rectify any unjust consequences faced by educators as a result of Problem Codes being assigned to them?
READ THE LETTER HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
Mayor Eric Adams ended New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees on Feb. 10 after thousands of city employees lost their jobs for refusing the vaccine.
“Not only did Mayor Eric Adams take jobs away from hard-working educators who decided against the COVID-19 vaccine, but a whistleblower is alleging he went even further to destroy the future of their careers by flagging them with problem codes and handing over their personal information to the FBI. It’s shameful and disgusting that New York City is treating teachers like criminals for a personal medical decision, and we demand answers,” Langworthy told the Caller before sending the letter.