Barbara Seals Nevergold
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This board member is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
Barbara Seals Nevergold is a former at-large member and president of the Buffalo school board in New York. She served on the school board from 2011 to 2019.
She won the general election on May 6, 2014 alongside newcomers Larry Quinn and Patricia B. Pierce against 10 other challengers. She was first appointed to the position on December 28, 2011, by the Buffalo Board of Education.[1]
In addition to winning re-election, Nevergold confronted legal challenges regarding the legitimacy of her seat on the board from fellow board member Carl P. Paladino. Paladino filed two unsuccessful petitions with the New York State Education Department and Commissioner of Education John King arguing that Nevergold's failure to run for re-election in the May 2013 election violated board policies and state law. Following Commissioner King's ruling, Paladino announced that he would appeal to the New York State Supreme Court in his attempt to unseat her, but the court ruled against him.[2] A significant cause for the hostility between Nevergold and Paladino was Nevergold's support of controversial Superintendent Pamela Brown, whom she voted to retain as superintendent in September 2013 in a narrow 5-4 vote.[3]
Biography
Barbara Seals Nevergold is a resident of Buffalo, New York. Nevergold graduated from Buffalo Public Schools before earning her B.S. degree in French education from Buffalo State College. She then earned her M.Ed. degrees in French education and counseling education along with her Ph.D. in counseling education from the University at Buffalo. Nevergold also studied French at both Laval University in Canada and the University of Dijon in France. Her career as an educator began with a French teaching position and a guidance counselor position in the Buffalo school system.
She left the school district to serve in several leadership roles in a variety of nonprofit organizations. This included an executive director position with the Niagara Frontier Association for Sickle Cell Disease, a vice president position with Children's Services at the Friendship House of Western New York, a chief executive officer position with Planned Parenthood of Buffalo and Erie County, a regional director position with the Berkshire Farm Center and a director position with Student Support Services at the University at Buffalo's Educational Opportunity Center.
Nevergold teaches as an adjunct instructor at Empire State College and formerly taught in the University at Buffalo. In 1999, she helped to found the Uncrowned Queens Institute in order "to promote the collection and dissemination of the individual histories of women, women's organizations and women's collective history; and to teach and educate women on the use of technology to preserve and disseminate their histories." Nevergold serves on the boards of the Graycliff Conservancy, Buffalo Psychiatric Center and the Afro American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier. She has also served on several other community nonprofit boards. Nevergold is an author who has written several books and articles published in New York magazines.[4][5]
Elections
2014
- See also: Buffalo Public Schools elections (2014)
Barbara Seals Nevergold and newcomers Larry Quinn and Patricia B. Pierce won the three at-large seats against fellow incumbent John Licata and nine other candidates in the general election on May 6, 2014. Challengers Bryon J. McIntyre and Daniel Rockwitz Reynolds were removed from the ballot after they did not meet the petition signature requirements.[6]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Larry Quinn |
16.1% | 8,806 | |
| Nonpartisan | Patricia B. Pierce |
14.7% | 8,061 | |
| Nonpartisan | Barbara Seals Nevergold Incumbent |
13.6% | 7,449 | |
| Nonpartisan | Bernie Tolbert | 11.5% | 6,298 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Licata Incumbent | 9% | 4,930 | |
| Nonpartisan | Samuel P. Davis | 7.9% | 4,334 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sergio Rodriguez | 6.3% | 3,447 | |
| Nonpartisan | Gizelle Stokes | 5.6% | 3,059 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ralph R. Hernandez | 5% | 2,733 | |
| Nonpartisan | Wendy Mistretta | 4.4% | 2,414 | |
| Nonpartisan | Stephon Wright | 2.3% | 1,242 | |
| Nonpartisan | Adrian Harris | 1.9% | 1,066 | |
| Nonpartisan | Stephen Buccilli | 1.7% | 936 | |
| Total Votes | 54,775 | |||
| Source: Erie County, NY - Board of Elections, "Election Results Archive," accessed June 11, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Nevergold reported $3,045.00 in contributions and $651.30 in expenditures to the Erie County Board of Elections, which left her campaign with $2,393.70 on-hand. Nevergold and her husband contributed a total of $600.00 to her own campaign. She also received a contribution of $130.00 from retiring board member Florence Johnson and her husband.[7]
Endorsements
Nevergold received endorsements from the Buffalo Teachers Federation, Citizen Action and Grassroots. She also received endorsements from board members Sharon Belton Cottman, Florence Johnson and Mary Ruth Kapsiak. Former board member Kinzer Pointer also endorsed her.[8]
1993
Nevergold ran unsuccessfully for the North District seat on the Buffalo school board in 1993. She faced two other candidates and received less than a third of the vote.[5]
Campaign themes
2014
In response to a survey published by The Buffalo News, Nevergold answered several questions outlining her campaign themes, preferred education reforms and priorities.
| “ | Cite an example of a school program (here or elsewhere) that you think should be replicated in Buffalo: The Rochester School District has a program to support the integration of refugee children into the school system. Students stay for up to two years of intensive support in the acquisition of English language facility, for example. The program serves grades 4 - 12. Support is offered to parents to help them acquire English, social supports and learn to navigate social institutions to better support their children. Describe two or three specific actions the district should take to help close the projected $50 million deficit for 2014-15: The District should continue its advocacy efforts with the State and the City. The City allocates approximately an 8% contribution to the school budget. One way that the City could contribute is to share in the proceeds from the sales of closed school buildings. The District has not successfully negotiated a contract with its two principle unions - teachers and principals - in 9 years. I believe that union leaders want to negotiate a new contract as much as the District. I would advocate moving forward with union negotiations with renewed urgency. Cut costs that do not affect classroom. List the three most important things you want to accomplish if you are elected: First priority is to ensure that each child receives an excellent education; a comprehensive program including standardized and customized learning environments; incorporating parental/community engagement, holding staff and Board accountable and maintaining stability. Support the urgency to expand and enhance proven programs that successfully support student achievement, e.g. Universal Pre-K. Second priority is the fiscal health of the District. We have continual and escalating deficits and must find ways to address systemic and categorical funding problems. Third priority, be a voice and a vote to maintain stability. Progress is being achieved under this current administration and would like to see that progress continue. Evaluate Pamela Brown's performance as superintendent: I believe that Dr. Brown's pedagogical knowledge and experience in school turnaround are strengths resulting in positive indicators of progress in the District; as well as her persistence and resilience. She has a keen sense of accountability. Though quiet, she's assertive and has the ability to make difficult, unpopular decisions to move the District forward, e.g. reorganization. Accessibility has been an ongoing criticism. Early in her administration, this was an issue but she has made significant change.[9] |
” |
| —The Buffalo News survey (2014)[8] | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Barbara + Seals + Nevergold + Buffalo + Public + Schools"
See also
External links
Additional reading
Footnotes
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Barbara Seals Nevergold elected to Buffalo Board of Education," December 29, 2011
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "State denies Paladino’s bid to unseat board president," April 5, 2014
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools, "Files and Documents," accessed April 16, 2014
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools, "About Us," accessed April 7, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Buffalo News, "Seals-Nevergold will run for full term to School Board," January 13, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Two knocked off Buffalo School Board ballot," April 23, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "School board financial disclosures," April 12, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Buffalo News, "Meet the candidates," accessed April 29, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2014 Buffalo Public Schools Elections | |
| Buffalo, New York | |
| Election date: | May 6, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Barbara Seals Nevergold • Incumbent, John Licata • Adrian Harris • Wendy Mistretta • Larry Quinn • Sergio Rodriguez • Bernie Tolbert • Stephon Wright • Stephen Buccilli • Patricia B. Pierce • Ralph R. Hernandez • Samuel P. Davis • Gizelle Stokes |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
