Rochester,
N.Y.---Local ministers railed against Mayor Bob Duffy’s plan to control city schools at a forum held at the
Helping Hand Missionary Baptist Church Tuesday.“We believe that mayoral control will eliminate our right to vote,” said Emmitte Myrick, President of the Baptist Ministers Alliance. “No one man should ever have control of such dominance.”
Others complained that Duffy’s proposal would strip them of their civil rights, namely their right to vote.
Over the weekend, Rochester City Council President Lovely Warren received a copy of the mayor’s rough draft on mayoral control.
After hearing of Tuesday’s forum and its tone, she said, “Everyone has an opinion and would ask that people not (be) against something they know nothing about.” She went on to say she hopes to meet with concerned citizens and listen to their concerns.
City Councilor Dana Miller who received a copy of the mayor’s draft, and was present at Tuesday night’s forum. He was pleased with the turnout, but doesn’t want to see people make up their minds so quickly.
“I think that clearly it’s fantastic to see the ministers—to see the religious community--come out and really say--this is an important topic," Miller said. "Education is critical... and we are here to work on this problem. I’m hoping that they will have an open mind and listen to different ways we can approach the solution.”
City Hall has not disclosed the rough draft to the public, though City Council members have received it.
13 WHAM News did view its contents and a story detailing the 10-page document can be found
here.
