City, state and church leaders defend Ackerman as McGeehan calls for her termination

    As State Rep. Mike McGeehan calls for Arlene Ackerman to be fired, many others have stepped up to support the School District of Philadelphia superintendent.

    Community and political leaders at the state and local levels rallied yesterday on the district steps.

     

    State Sens Vincent Hughes and Shirley Kitchen, State Rep. Jewell Williams, Urban League of Philadelphia President Patricia Coulter, NAACP President Jerry Mondesire, Mothers in Charge President Dorothy Johnson-Speight and Mother Bethel AME Church Pastor Mark Tyler spoke at yesterday’s rally, as NewsWorks partner the Public School Notebook reports, to praise Ackerman’s accomplishments.

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    Meanwhile, McGeehan says he hand-delivered a letter to Gov. Tom Corbett citing a list of reasons why Ackerman should be fired. And though many agree with the Northeast Philadelphia state representative, some think he’s not the right person to lead the charge.

    Daily News columnist Will Bunch says he wants Ackerman out, too, but referenced racist comments McGeehan made back in 1996 as a reason why he’s perhaps not the best face of the cause.

    Feed the Feed: Who, if anyone, should lead the charge to get Ackerman fired?

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