Bernard Tolbert, who ran unsuccessfully for Buffalo mayor in 2013, has now turned his political sights on the Buffalo Board of Education. A former FBI agent and head of security for the National Basketball Association, Tolbert announced Thursday that he will seek one of the at-large seats on the school board.
Educated in three Buffalo elementary schools and at Lafayette High School, Tolbert also served as teacher at Bennett High School. Several members of his family, he says, have worked as educators.
"That combination of professional and personal experiences allows me to evaluate the issues and problems of Buffalo’s Schools from many sides, giving me a unique perspective in dealing with the issues and ways to solve the problems,” Tolbert said, in a statement.
Tolbert, running as a Democrat, lost in last year's primary election to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. Brown would go on to win a third term by defeating Republican challenger Sergio Rodriguez. Rodriguez has also announced he will run for an at-large school board seat.
Tolbert, 65, says he has a three-point Program of Progress focused on "school board policies of supporting the expectation that all students can attain high levels of achievement; training; support and rewards for effective teaching methods and results for all Buffalo school administrators and teachers; honest and continuous feedback and communication with parents concerning their children’s school performance levels and ways they can help their children succeed in the classroom."
The school board election will be held on May 6.