(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - The Buffalo Teachers Federation (BTF), the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Union and the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) released statements after the New York State Education Department announced its decision Thursday (August 17th) to remove Buffalo School Board Member Carl Paladino.

The bombastic Paladino, a Republican Buffalo businessman who once ran against Governor Andrew Cuomo in a failed campaign several years ago, was ordered immediately removed by the commissioner from his elected position following a five-day State Education Department hearing that was held earlier this year in Albany. 

In the end, State Education Department Commissioner MaryEllen Elia concluded that Paladino broke State Education Law when he publicly disclosed private information discussed during an executive session.

However, it was reported that the State Education Department’s decision was not impacted by what has been described as “inflammatory comments” made about former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, which had drawn the ire of some fellow School Board Members, the Buffalo Community and both Buffalo School students and their parents, as well as Organized Labor.

NYSUT - a Statewide Union with more than 600,000 Members in Education, Human Services and Health Care, released the following statement: Commissioner Elia made the right decision. There is absolutely no place in public education for someone who flagrantly disregards the rules and spouts disgusting, racially charged ideas that harm students and the teaching environment.

Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) President Richard Lipsitz - who heads the Regional AFL-CIO Labor Organization that oversees five individual Labor Councils in Buffalo, Niagara-Orleans, Dunkirk, Jamestown and Cattaraugus-Allegany that combine to represent just under 150,000 Unionized Workers across Western New York, released the following statement: New York State Education Commissioner Elia made a courageous and principled decision to remove Carl Paladino from the Buffalo Board of Education.  We hope the School Board can now proceed to make decisions in the best interests of students, parents and Teachers without the distraction provided by the former board member.

Phil Rumore, President of the more than 3,700 Member BTF, told WNYLaborToday.com: "Hopefully now, 'without' Mr. Paladino 'lobbing hand-grenades,' the School Board 'can come together and do the best for our kids.'  And 'I think it is better' for our kids that he is 'not there.'  He really had 'no business' being on the Board.  He was 'someone who e-mailed out photos of people having sex with a horse,' photos that used he 'n-word' - 'that should have disqualified him alone.'  But in the end, 'he violated' the by-laws of the Board and 'that was the reason why the State Education Department threw him out.'"  

For More On This Story, Read The Buffalo News’ Report, Headlined: Carl Paladino's Polarizing Time On School Board Comes To An End, at: http://buffalonews.com/2017/08/17/state-education-commissioner-removes-paladino-from-school-board/