Pressure is mounting against Buffalo School Board member Carl Paladino's support defending remarks made by GOP Presidential Candidate Donald Trump.
“We couldn’t stay silent in the face of all of these statements that have gone back and forth over many days. All of us have received calls from parents who are concerned and outraged,” said Barbara Seals Nevergold, President of the Buffalo Board of Education.
Seals Nevergold and four other female board members, Sharon Belton Cottman, Dr. Theresa Harris-Tigg, Hope Jay and Jennifer Mecozzi issued a written statement.
Seals Nevergold, in a WBFO News interview, said they can ‘no longer remain silent’ over Paladino's remarks defending Trumps video recording in which he boasted of groping and kissing women.
Paladino had stated it “something that all men do, at least normal ones”.
The four female board members they said that comment is “unacceptable behavior.”
Seals Nevergold said the remarks do not follow the District's ‘Code of Conduct’ expected of its students and sets a very bad example.
Meanwhile, another group has circulated a petition on Change.org calls for Paladino to be removed immediately from the school board. Seals Nevergold tells WBFO News she is has no involvement with the petition, but has called on board's attorney to understand rules for removal.
“The board does not normally have to remove a board member, but there is a process through the State Ed department that individuals can access, so I’ve asked the attorney to certainly give us some direction on that so if we are asked we’re asked, we can certainly direct people to the right authority,” stated Seals Nevergold.
WBFO News asked the board leader if she would seek Paladino’s removal.
“At this point and time, I’m not even looking at that as an alternative for the board. I can’t speak for the board on that issue," responded Seals Nevergold. “There’s been no discussion by the board of taking any kind of action of that type.”
Wednesday evening, before the start of the city school board meeting, outside the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, parents and citizens are planning to confront Paladino. They will stage a protest against his support of Trump's sexist remarks.
The petition calling for the removal of Paladino has more than 2,000 signatures.