MILWAUKEE - A battle is brewing over what is best for the Milwaukee Public Schools.  But what's best depends on who you talk to.

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett want the city to take control of the school district.

They want Mayor Barrett to appoint a new superintendent and choose the school board. They believe it would help improve MPS by holding one person, Barrett, accountable for the success of the district.

Right now, the school board, an elected body, has control.

But current School Board President Michael Bonds, who is African American, calls the idea racist. "It's an insult to me as a board president, and I also think it's racist," he said. "People have been on the sidelines for years while white school board presidents just helped run the district down."

Barrett, who is white, claims his plan has nothing to do with Bonds being black.

The Mayor's office says Bonds' comments about race are unfortunate and that Barrett thought about the city taking over MPS long before Bonds became board president.

"Unfortunately right now, we have the largest racial achievement gap in the country here in the state of Wisconsin and that's just not acceptable," said Barrett.

The mayor believes his plan would make schools more accountable.

"If the schools improve, the mayor takes credit, if the schools don't improve, the mayor pays," said Barrett.

Barrett said not giving the city control could cost the district millions in federal money. The United States Secretary of Education, who will distribute over $4.35 billion in aid, is pushing for mayoral control in large urban school districts.

"I think we're in a better position to get some of those resources if we have a governance model that President Obama's Secretary of Education approves of," Barrett said.

The Milwaukee Teacher's Education Association also opposes mayoral control. Union president Michael Langyel said they want more involvement from educators and the community.

"We believe that the mayor and the governor need to take a step back and listen to the voices of teachers as well as the community on what's best for our students," Langyel said.

President Bonds also said the current school board should not be blamed for the problems in MPS. He said they did not create the problems, but inherited them.

Parents have mixed reactions to the plan.

"I think it's just another thing to add to his (Barrett) agenda that possibly wouldn't get done. It might get done but I feel it would take away from other things," said Petrita Gonzalez.

Others believe something has to change.

"Why not let someone else try to fix what's going on and if doesn't work next time around just vote him out," Jerri-Ann Lobermeir.

Bonds says that's exactly the wrong path to take and he is getting ready to battle.

"I'm going to fight this to the fullest. They are going to see a fight like they have never seen in Milwaukee," Bonds said.