The Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization and several other groups are calling on city school members to join a conversation tomorrow. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says the event is called "Pushing Past Paladino".
“A lot of various groups have gotten together over the past few months to organize this event,” said Kate Haq, Buffalo school parent and secretary of the parent teacher organization.
Saturday’s event will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Merriweather Library on Jefferson Avenue. It is designed focus on positive information about the city school community. It will highlight accomplishments generated by school board members and Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash.
“And we realize that new programming is getting lost underneath all of this negativity, so we will have a discussion on the problems we have had with Mr. Paladino, but then move directly into celebrating some of our positive new programs, such as the new technology program at Bennett High School, our new curriculum – culturally responsible curriculum,” explained Haq.
School Board member Carl Paladino has been under deep criticism by the school community for what many say were racist comments made last December about the Obamas. Hag tells WBFO News they want to get past board member Paladino's "hateful rhetoric".
Protesters continue to show up at city school board meetings to call for Paladino to resign. The parent teacher organization demands the State Education department remove Paladino for violating the board code of ethics and student's dignity act. Requests by the organization and others is now in the hands of State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia.
“But this is the opportunity that we have to let Commissioner Elia know that we are still waiting for her, especially in terms of the 306 appeal that have been placed on her desk. All legal options we have gone through –all those hoops to have the legal paperwork and the petition into her and there was a timeframe involved, but now that they’re on her desk, we’re waiting.
WBFO reached out to her office asking if she will call Paladino in for a hearing. We were told, in a written response "once all necessary documents in the established removal process are filed" they will review the record as quickly as possible and allow "for a thorough and complete consideration of the facts and relevant law."
