NYSUT Calls for Carl Paladino’s Removal from Buffalo School Board

The pressure continues to mount for Buffalo businessman and political activist Carl Paladino after comments he made to the Western New York entertainment publication, Artvoice, last week.  Now, NYSUT, New York State's teacher's union has sent out a petition asking for signatures from their 600,000 members calling for the former gubernatorial candidate to step down from the Buffalo City School Board.

"Carl Paladino MUST be removed from the Buffalo School Board," reads the headline in the NYSUT petition. "Racist Carl Paladino has no business setting education policy for our kids."  The letter requesting signatures is sent by NYSUT Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta.

Paladino's troubles started when on December 23rd, Artvoice asked Western New York public figures five questions about the upcoming new year. Paladino spoke bluntly as usual on each of them, but seemingly crossed the line with two of the questions: "What would you most like to happen in 2017?" and "What would you like to see go away in 2017?"

Here are his controversial answers:

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.

Paladino's comments caused outrage from people of all political affiliation. On New Year's weekend, his son William who runs the family investment firm wrote on the company’s Facebook page that he nor their company condoned what his father said. He called the statements “disrespectful and absolutely unnecessary.”  The elder Paladino then sent out an apology to members of the media and community members where he showed remorse for the comments. However, he didn't accept complete responsibility as he blamed the comments on a mistake.  “I filled out the survey to send to a couple friends and forwarded it to them not realizing that I didn’t hit “forward” I hit “reply.” All men make mistakes,” Paladino wrote.

Paladino was scheduled to appear on WIBX's First News with Keeler in the Morning on Wednesday; but, the interview was cancelled by his representative minutes before the scheduled start time. No rescheduled date has been set for the interview.