Hundreds rallied on the steps of City Hall Thursday night in support of embattled Buffalo Schools Superintendent Pamela Brown.
Only one speaker pointed out the racial aspects of the fight over the superintendent's tenure in the job, with Board Member Carl Paladino promising to bring his motion to dismiss her to the Wednesday board meeting.
Supporters preempted that with last night's rally and some nasty signs about Paladino being carried in the crowd.
Councilmember Darius Pridgen, a former member of the school board, says the dispute over the superintendent follows a familiar pattern.
"The culture of one is still alive because it was one (former Superintendent) James Harris that got rolled out of town on a railroad. It was one (former Superintendent) Dr. (James) Williams that got rolled out of town on a plane," Pridgen told the crowd.
"And, it is now one Dr. Brown who (is being) blamed for the state of public education in the City of Buffalo. Speaking of one, may I remind you that she has only been here about one year."
Speaker after speaker pointed to new statistics showing that in that one year, the district has improved with higher graduation rates and lower suspension rates.
"Enough is enough," retired Lackawanna Schools Superintendent Nellie King told the crowd.
"Dr. Pamela Brown is more than capable and able to raise children up out of poverty to great success. How do I know that? I was the first Afro-American women to be the superintendent out of 27 school districts."
