The debate over the teachers contract in New York City remains hot. Here’s my column from Wednesday’s Post, asking why Clinton’s former antitrust chief, Joel Klein, would want to stick around the Big Apple if the mayor who hired him to clean up the schools sells him out by signing a no-good contract:

Eva Moskowitz, the chair woman of the City Council’s Education Committee, yesterday released a warning to Mayor Bloomberg. His drive to reform New York City’s public schools, she wrote, will veer off course if he agrees to a teachers contract that maintains the status quo — something he seems set to do any day now.

Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has made reforming the contract his signature issue for more than two years. If Bloomberg cuts the legs out from under him, why would the former trustbuster want to stick around?

Klein’s office, naturally, denies there is any mayor-chancellor rift over the contract. But if Bloomberg is determined to placate Randi Weingarten and the United Federation of Teachers before his run for reelection next year, his goals are simply not compatible with Klein’s mission of gaining better control over the school system.

Moskowitz, as I’ve said before, deserves a lot of credit for taking this stand. Bloomberg and Weingarten are beating up on her, but, if nothing else, she’s made sure that the two don’t cut a backroom deal that benefits them and nobody else — least of all the children.

Or, should I say, she’s made sure that they can’t do so without anyone noticing.