Hearing wraps for school board member who insulted Obama

ALBANY, N.Y. – A decision on whether a one-time candidate for New York governor who publicly insulted former President Barack Obama should remain on a school board is expected in several weeks.

Layers wrapped up a five-day hearing in Albany on Wednesday.

State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia will make her decision on Carl Paladino’s future on the Buffalo school board after receiving written briefs until mid-July.

Fellow school board members say Paladino improperly disclosed information about teacher contract negotiations discussed in closed-door sessions.

But Paladino says the real reason for the action is comments he made about Obama published in a Buffalo arts newspaper. Paladino says those comments — including his wish that the former president die of mad cow disease — weren’t meant for publication.