Board of Education to call for Paladino’s resignation

The resolution cites Paladino’s Artvoice survey response in which he said he hopes President Barack Obama dies in 2017 and that First Lady Michele Obama returns to being a male and moves to Zimbabwe to live in a cave with a gorilla. It calls the survey comments “unambiguously racist, morally repugnant, flagrantly disrespectful, inflammatory and inexcusable” then demands he resign within 24 hours, otherwise the board will hire a lawyer to petition the state education department to remove him.

The full resolution — sponsored by Board members Hope Jay, Theresa Harris-Tigg, Paulette Woods, Sharon Belton-Cottman, Jennifer Mecozzi, and Board of Education President Barbara  A. Nevergold,  — follows;

Whereas, in a December 23, 2016 edition of the publication Artvoice, School Board Member Carl Paladino made the following statements in response to the questions of “What would you most like to happen in 2017?” and “What would you like to see go away in 2017?”:  1. Obama catches mad cow disease after being caught having relations with a Herford.  He dies before his trial and is buried in a cow pasture next to Valerie Jarret, who died weeks prior, after being convicted of sedition and treason, when a Jihady cell mate mistook her for being a nice person and decapitated her. 2.  Michelle Obama.  I’d like her to return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla.” And,

Whereas, Mr. Paladino acknowledged that he made these statements;  And, Mr. Paladino is an elected official charged with the responsibility to represent children and families in a district comprised of over 70% Black, Brown, Asian, Immigrant and other minority students and families;  And, Mr. Paladino took an oath to ensure that students are afforded an environment which is free from fear and respects diversity within the school district and the community and is subject to all district policies; And,

Whereas, These unambiguously racist, morally repugnant, flagrantly disrespectful, inflammatory and inexcusable comments by Mr. Paladino have garnered both local, national, and international attention that reflects negatively on the Buffalo Board of Education, the City of Buffalo and its leadership and its citizens, the State of New York, and every decent human being in America and abroad who has been shocked and offended by his words; And,

Whereas, Mr. Paladino’s behavior has irrevocably impacted the work of the Buffalo Board of Education by negatively impacting the Buffalo City School District in its goal of safeguarding the rights of all students in promoting a safe and healthy environment in which students are treated respectfully, by everyone,  And, the inalienable right, guaranteed by the New York State Constitution and the Dignity for All Students Act, afforded to the children of the City of Buffalo to be provided an education free of discrimination and harassment; And,

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Buffalo Board of Education demands that Mr. Paladino immediately resign within 24 hours from his position with the Board.  In the event that Mr. Paladino declines to resign within 24 hours, the Board resolves that it shall retain outside legal counsel to file a 306 Petition with NYS Education Commissioner Mary Ellen Elia to pursue Mr. Paladino’s removal from the Buffalo Board of Education. Recommendations for outside counsel shall be made by the General Counsel.  

For his part, Paladino has said that the comments were his but they 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.

Several people have already called for his resignation, including Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and — most-recently, the state teachers’ union. Others still have denounced the statements by Paladino without going so far as calling for his removal. Those include a spokesperson for the Donald Trump Transition Team — of which Paladino is a member, St. Bonaventure University — of which Paladino is an alumnus, and Ellicott Development Company — of which Paladino is the former CEO. Paladino’s son William penned the denouncement on the company’s Facebook page on Saturday.

A rally organized by the Buffalo Parent-Teachers Organization will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Niagara Square.