City employees who report harm against children, including “educational harm,” would be protected from retaliation if a bill being reviewed during a City Council hearing today passes.

The bill, introduced by Council Member Eric Gioia, would protect city employees who report conduct they believe presents “a substantial and specific risk of harm to the health, safety or educational welfare of a child by another city officer or employee.”

Another law that protects whistleblowers who report corrupt or criminal behavior is already on the books.

The chairman of the Education Committee, where the bill is being discussed, Council Member Robert Jackson, said the bill was necessary and not redundant.

“This gives public employees the protection they need,” he said, noting that the measure was directed at more than just teachers. “It’s for all public employees. It doesn’t say teachers, it says all public employees. … It gives that added protection.”

The bill is co-sponsored by 10 council members and supported by the United Federation of Teachers.

Other council members indicated they would also support the bill, including Council Member Tony Avella.

“I’m going to vote for the bill,” he said. “Sometimes you have to take a gut instinct towards these issues … knowing how tough it is within the educational system for principals and teachers to speak out within the system without fear of retaliation.”

The president of the Center for Educational Innovation — Public Education Association, Seymour Fliegel, said he was concerned that the wording of the bill was too generalized, and could be abused.

“There’s a lot of educational harm going on every day. And then it becomes in whose eyes is the harm being done,” he said. “I’m all for protecting whistleblowers on very legitimate things, but if you make it so vague, how do you control that?”

The mayor’s office said it would not comment on the bill at this point.