BUFFALO — In a roll-call vote of the Buffalo Board of Education, board members passed a resolution calling for the resignation of fellow board member Carl Paladino over incendiary remarks he made a week ago in Artvoice.
Paladino had said in a year-end survey by the weekly alternative news magazine that his hopes for 2017 include President Barack Obama’s death and that First Lady Michele Obama returns to being a male and moves to Zimbabwe to live in a cave with a gorilla.
Voting to demand the resignation were Board President Dr. Barbara Seals Nevergold, as well as members Sharon Belton-Cottman, Dr. Theresa Harris-Tigg, Hope Jay, Jennifer Mecozzi, and Paulette Woods. Board members Patricia Pierce and Lawrence Quinn opposed the measure. Paladino was not at the meeting and therefore did not vote.
If Paladino does not resign within 24 hours, the vote authorizes the board to hire an attorney to push for his removal through the state education department.
Paladino has previously stated that he would not resign his post, adding that the comments were not intended for public viewing. He said he meant to send his response to a group of friends via email but accidentally replied to the original email, sending the response to Artvoice.
