Mayor Cherelle Parker sits in hot seat after defying City Council: 'We are not always going to agree'

Mayor Parker sits in hot seat day after defying City Council in support of Joyce Wilkerson

Mayor Cherelle Parker doubles down on her decision to re-appoint School of Education board member Joyce Wilkerson after City Council's rejection.

PHILADELPHIA - A day after Mayor Cherelle Parker defied the City Council’s rejection of a senior nominee to the school board, she’s back in the belly of the beast speaking to council on city schools.

"Members of council who are here today I respect each and every one of you. We are not always going to agree," said the Philadelphia Mayor.

They didn’t on Monday, when Parker put Joyce Wilkerson back on the nine-member school board moments after the City Council withdrew her nomination amid opposition from charter school operators and others.

Wilkerson, who once led the board, will remain on the panel until the mayor nominates someone else, and it’s not clear if or when that will happen.

Parker spoke to FOX 29's Jeff Cole in City Hall Tuesday afternoon, and she said, "no matter what one personally feels about Joyce Wilkerson, she is undeniably the most qualified person to serve on the school board."

Nearly 200,000 students attend Philadelphia public, charter, and cyber schools.

Parker campaigned on a pledge to offer students a quality education while tackling the dual challenges of hiring and keeping teachers. She said aging school buildings "require urgent attention" and wants "full day" and "year-round" schooling. "

I want you and the people of this city to know," Parker said. "That I’m doing the best I can with what little I have to make good on my promises."

Parker told council members she’d only gotten a few hours of sleep due to phone calls and social media posts from those trying to divide the city--hours after her first dispute with the body where she once sat.

Cole asked, "you seemed emotional today pressing them (city council) about being together, working together?" Parker said, "I’m trying to lead the city in a way that gets Philadelphia to see itself doing things that no one could imagine we could do."

Philadelphia News