TEMPLE TERRACE, Florida — Hundreds of people packed the Temple Terrace City Council meeting on Tuesday night to voice their opinions regarding a controversy surrounding Mayor Mel Jurado.

Jurado had been referring to herself as Dr. Mel Jurado, and saying she received a Ph.D. in psychology from LaSalle University.

However, reports surfaced that LaSalle was never accredited, and was later raided by the FBI and shut down for being a so-called "diploma mill."

In the aftermath, some now claim those circumstances void Jurado's degree, and that she knowingly misrepresented her qualifications.

"I'm disappointed and ashamed the mayor has deceitfully misrepresented herself and her education," said one woman who spoke at the meeting.

Other spoke out in support of the Jurado, calling the situation a "misunderstanding" and saying whether she has a valid Ph.D. or not has no bearing on her ability to govern.

"My wife and I want to live out our days in the sun in Temple Terrace. My household fully supports Mayor Mel and we do not want to see the city of Temple Terrace diminish and disappear," said a man who spoke in support of Jurado.

The mayor did not make a public statement at the meeting, and she declined to talk to Spectrum Bay News 9 afterwards.

The city's website now has her listed as simply "Mel Jurado," with no mention of the Ph.D. in her biography and no "Dr." before her name.