Opponents of Mayoral Control Picket David Gantt's Office

Over 30 people came out today, despite the biting cold of 5-degree weather, to send a strong message to David Gantt: No to mayoral control. Gantt, a member of the New York State Assembly, has given strong support for Duffy's plan to eliminate the Rochester school board and replace it with mayoral control.

It was really inspiring to see so many people determined not to let their voting rights be taken away. I talked with several members of the crowd about just what motivates someone to walk in a picket line in the windy, freezing cold Rochester winter.

"Children. And they're worth it."
- Lori Thomas, RSCD Teacher

"Fundamentally this is about the mayor, through mayoral control, trying to decrease democracy in the public schools and lessen the extent to which the school system is accountable to students and parents. I see this as a move towards a more privatized public schools, schools that are less accountable to students are more focused on 'the bottom line' — making money off of students going to school."
- Jake Spezio, Students for a Democratic Society

"It's ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous. Duffy is not a magician or a miracle worker. He can't deliver on what he's promising. We're not going to let Duffy take away our rights; and Davit Gantt—his so-called henchman—we're not going to let him either."
- Nancy Cumineli, Activists Against Racism Movement

"I think it's very important that we have a voice to decide what fits for our children."
- Jerry Hines

"I just realized the other night that this is really about voting rights. In a lot of ways there's parallels to the reason that people marched in Selma and Memphis."
- Frank Ricci

"What motivates me is that the accountability structure of the school district should reflect the people who are the stewards of their kids development: parents. Parents should have some play in deciding who oversees our school district. Any process that takes them out of that accountability structure, I will not support."
- Glenny Williams, Alliance for Quality Education

"I went up with another SDS Member to talk to David Gantt and I asked if I could talk about mayoral control with him. He asked if I had a bill to present to him. I said, 'no I don't have a bill, what are you talking about? What I want and what most of us want is to keep the elected, accountable school board that exists now.' He said, 'I have nothing to say to you unless you have a bill for me.'

David Gantt has taken such an incredibly strong position for mayoral control and he said that he didn't care whether people agreed with him or not. Not only do we disagree with him, we need to stand up to all our elected representatives who try to take away our voting rights."
- Ryan Acuff, Students for a Democratic Society