The Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization (BPTO) is trying to put pressure on the State Education Commissioner to remove city school board member Carl Paladino. WBFO’s senior reporter Eileen Buckley says BPTO co-chair Larry Scott made a plea at a rally Sunday in Buffalo to denounce the violent racism that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“To have Carl Paladino removed from the Buffalo Board of Education,” declared Scott at the rally.
Scott is encouraging citizens to call on Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia to remove Paladino for his racist comments made back in December against the Obamas.
Scott said Elia has completed “due process” and should make a decision.
“We have to address and root out this racism and it especially has no place in our public schools,” remarked Scott.
The State Education Department tells WBFO News it received about 70-calls Monday in the case against Paladino. But a spokeswoman for the commissioner also tells us they have no update at this time on Elia's decision.
Commissioner Elia held a lengthy hearing in June to review a Buffalo School Board request to remove Paladino in violation of executive meeting board rules in which he revealed private, closed-door information on the teachers’ contract.
Scott calls Paladino a “white supremacist”. Scott noted Paladino posted a joke Monday on his Facebook page about a man with 100,000 rounds of ammunition. .
“Given the tragic events in Charlottesville, it is clear that Paladino’s jokes are incredibly unfunny,” remarked Scott.
