Parents and educators came together Thursday night at a Bed-Stuy school to weigh in on mayoral control of the city's schools.
The event at the Boys and Girls High School was the third of five public hearings.
Parents and teachers took turns speaking into a microphone in front of the Chancellor and Commissioner of Education Betty Rosa.
While many in the school auditorium voiced loud and proud that they were against mayoral control and even held up signs. Others said they were in the middle but that mayoral control needs to be altered in some capacity.
Mayoral control currently means that the city's mayor has the power to choose the schools' chancellor along with who is on the city's education panel.
The parents' biggest complaint is that they feel their concerns and thoughts are not being considered when big decisions are made.
Some called for an overhaul of mayoral control with a system of check and balances, saying it would be the most efficient and effective way to serve students.
There were some changes to the mayoral control when Gov. Kathy Hochul reinstated it in the summer of 2023. Those changes include the panel for education policy growing from 15 members to 23, with the mayor appointing 13 of those members. Borough presidents will appoint one member and neither the mayor or borough presidents have the authority to remove them for disagreeing with them.
There are still two more chances to speak up if for parents who were not able to attend Thursday night's hearing as there will be a hearing in both Manhattan and Staten Island later this month.
Parents can also give written electronic testimony by visiting this
link. The deadline is Jan 30.