SC New York News

Recently, Congressman Nick Langworthy led a group of New York's Congressional Delegation in addressing concerns to the New York City Department of Education (NYC-DOE) regarding the use of "Problem Codes" on teachers who chose not to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. These codes, initially meant for severe misconduct such as child abuse, have reportedly been used against unvaccinated educators.

"The continued use of Problem Codes to unjustly flag educators is a blatant overreach with serious career-damaging consequences," stated the lawmakers. They expressed alarm that these codes are applied similarly to those accused of severe offenses like molestation or harm to children.

The delegation criticized the NYC-DOE's silence on this issue, urging that dedicated educators should not face mistreatment for lawfully exercising their rights. The letter also points out discrepancies between City Hall’s previous denials and evidence showing external consequences linked to these Problem Codes.

Internal emails from NYC-DOE revealed that these codes were associated with educators on vaccine-mandate leave and shared with agencies such as the FBI and New York Criminal Justice Services. The lawmakers urged Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos to clarify the purpose and application of Problem Codes and address any inconsistencies between official statements and actual outcomes.

This initiative follows a report by the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic which found that COVID-19 vaccine mandates were ineffective and negatively impacted employment, military readiness, and public trust in health authorities.

Joining Congressman Langworthy in signing this letter were Representatives Elise Stefanik, Claudia Tenney, Nicole Malliotakis, Mike Lawler, and Marc Molinaro. Outside groups like Children’s Health Defense and New York Teachers for Choice also support this action.