BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Inappropriate, egregious and vile were words Barbara Seals-Nevergold, president of the Buffalo Public Schools board, used to describe comments made by Carl Paladino, a school board member.

Paladino, also a businessman and former New York gubernatorial candidate who has a propensity for making controversial comments, said Friday afternoon that he fully stands behind his responses to a short 2017 "wishlist" questionnaire.

Items No. 1 and 2 were about President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The reaction online was quick and explosive, garnering attention far outside Buffalo.

Seals-Nevergold says this all shouldn't come as much of a shock to people here.

"Mr. Paladino has done this in the past. That was not surprising whatsoever," said Seals-Nevergold. "What was surprising were the direct attacks on the president and on the first lady of the United States in such demeaning ways and in such tone that many have described as racist, and sexist, and those are the comments I'm most concerned about because of the messages they send to our children."

Seals-Nevergold said she understands the public outrage and believes people have the right to call for Paladino to be removed from his position. She says if students said the things Paladino did, it would not be tolerated.

"We have what's called a, Dignity For All Students act. It does not just apply to students. It applies to everyone in the district," Seals-Nevergold said. "It applies to me, every other board member, every staff member. Adults are expected to adhere to that policy and if we're not adhering to the policy, how in the world can we ask our students to adhere to it?"

Sam Radford, president of the District Parent Coordinating Council of Buffalo, says Paladino should be held accountable as an elected official who makes decisions for all of Buffalo's students.

"I think there's some level of account that must be held to an elected board member. They should be held to a higher level of account than even a student would," Radford said. "So if there is not a way to hold him accountable at this point, I think it's important for our New York State Education Department and our local board of education to create a way to hold a person accountable."

Seals-Nevergold says the controversy will be discussed at the next board meeting. She also made it clear that only the New York State Board of Education has the power to remove Paladino from the board.

Fellow board member and Paladino ally Larry Quinn declined to comment on the controversy when reached.