Philadelphia City Council votes in 8 of mayor’s 9 school board appointments, setting stage for City Hall showdown

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — City Council on Thursday approved eight of Mayor Cherelle Parker ’s nominees for the Philadelphia Board of Education. Council leaders say they will not consider the ninth nominee, but the mayor is not backing down.

Council removed the nomination of school board member Joyce Wilkerson from consideration last week, after a concerted effort by charter school advocates to derail her. After unanimous approval of Parker’s other nominees, Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Education Committee Chair Isaiah Thomas said Wilkerson will remain off the table — though they firmly refused to give a reason why.

“We’ll continue working and talking with the administration about next steps, but at this current time, her nomination will not be moving forward,” Johnson said.

Repeatedly asked why she would not be considered, he repeated the same non-answer: “Again, right now, she doesn’t have the support of my colleagues, and so we will continue having conversations with the administration and go from there.”

Meanwhile, a statement from Parker seems to leave little room for conversation: “I continue to support my entire slate of nine nominees, including Joyce Wilkerson. I selected nominees who wholeheartedly share my vision for public education in our city.”

Outgoing board member Julia Danzy gave City Council a parting shot at Thursday night’s final meeting, recalling how she “watched in horror” last week as it confirmed only eight members.

“What I saw was the litmus test for being a board member was, would you let the charter schools have what they want? There is something wrong with that,” said Danzy, who was not renominated to the board.

This is an unprecedented situation. The city charter has always given the mayor the power to appoint the school board. Council’s power to vote on those appointments was added just six years ago when the state’s School Reform Commission (SRC) was dissolved, restoring local control of the district.

Until now, that power has been a formality. All of Mayor Jim Kenney’s appointments were approved.

Wilkerson served on the SRC, and she has been president of the school board for the last six years.

“Even in these last days, I think I’m most excited that I think Philadelphians are beginning to embrace the responsibility of local control,” she said. “One of the things that I value about what Mayor Parker did was acknowledge that it’s a transition, that it’s not a sprint. This is going to be a relay race where we pass the baton.”

“Even in these last days, I think I’m most excited that I think Philadelphians are beginning to embrace the responsibility of local control,” she said. “One of the things that I value about what Mayor Parker did was acknowledge that it’s a transition, that it’s not a sprint. This is going to be a relay race where we pass the baton.”

The new school board is scheduled to be sworn in on May 1. It is not yet clear what will happen with only eight members of the nine-member board approved.