Elephants in the Room: Buffalo Attendance Teachers

Elephants in the Room: Buffalo Attendance Teachers
Buffalo School Board need to reinstate the Attendance Teachers

Mamie Till Mobley

"I made a commitment to rip the covers off Mississippi, USA-revealing to the world the horrible face of race hatred. I took the privacy of my own grief and turned it into a public issue, a political issue, one which set in motion the dynamic force that led ultimately to a generation of social and legal progress in this country." (2003)

Death of Innocense: the Story of the Hate Crime that Changed America (2003)

"The jurors heard one thing that was important to them, and that was a white woman's claim that a black boy had insulted her. That was all they needed to know ... it was all they would consider in making up their minds." Mamie Till Mobley

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Charley H. Fisher, III: an activist looks back still remains "at-large"


Editors note: Buffalo lost many of its young leaders to other cities. Charley H. Fisher,III one of these leaders left Buffalo sometime after the down-sizing of Buffalo Common Council in August 2002.

Sometimes I ask myself how an "activist" could get elected city councilmember at large. I had already served as president of the B.U.I.L.D. of Buffalo Inc., president of the National Rainbow Coalition, and founding president of Community Voice. People knew what they were getting in Charley Fisher. The theme was "Send the Voice to City Hall." After all, I am the one who laid down in front of a garbage truck, shut down 22 illegal delis, a pawn shop, a couple big night clubs, and led over 100 protests. What people were not aware of is my running as a Green Party candidate, a veteranDemocratic Party Zone Chairman, and a candidate with 15 years of strong governmental service. I had served as Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve's Chief of Staff, served on the Erie County Legislature staff, and the Dennis Gorski administration. I had the support of Grassroots, the Buffalo News, and numerous community groups. In other words... I was well prepared.
I was elected with 28,000 votes city-wide. I hit the ground running by filling Barbara Kavenaugh's vacancy for six weeks. Thus I entered the year 2000 with "seniority" and experience over my colleagues. I hired a Grassroots operative named Tina Bethea as clerk secretary and in a very controversial move, I hired Jeremy Toth, who had run against me in the primary. Jeremy was an attorney who had great experience. We passed a great deal of legislation.
Honestly, I campaigned with the platform of needing only one four year term to do what was needed. I was true to my word (LOL)! I am Buffalo's last councilmember at large. I remain "at-large."

Charley H. Fisher, III
Get to know Charley sources: Essay in Historically Speaking,
Get to know some issues on Buffalo Common Council downsize in 2020: The Buffalo Report, 9/02; 8/2002; 8/1/2002; 8/02 ; 7/2002
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