A Tennessee county school board voted unanimously Wednesday to censure a member who told a student, “God, you’re hot” at a public board meeting last week.
The Washington County Board of Education approved the censure during an emergency meeting, following public calls to remove board member Keith Ervin and Superintendent Jerry Boyd.
In a board meeting on April 2, which was live-streamed, Ervin made inappropriate comments to a female high school student, raising concerns among the public.
The incident occurred as the student, a member of the board, concluded her queries about career and technical education. Ervin’s comments led to some laughter among fellow board members.
A school board censure is a formal condemnation of a member’s conduct but does not entail removal from office.
During the meeting, locals expressed anger and disappointment, calling for Ervin’s resignation and holding the board accountable for the incident.
Ervin defended himself, stating that his remarks were misinterpreted, emphasizing that his intention was not to offend anyone.
Despite differing opinions among board members, a motion was passed to censure Ervin, with all members voting in favor except for Ervin himself.
Ervin and the board did not respond immediately to requests for further comments.
Following the release of a video documenting the incident, a petition demanding the removal of Ervin and Boyd gained significant traction, prompting community outrage.
The board had previously denounced Ervin’s comments as “grossly inappropriate,” pointing out the need to hold officials accountable for their actions.
Community members expressed strong disapproval during the public comment session of the recent meeting, highlighting the impact of such behavior on trust and leadership within the school board.
Ervin, who has served since 2006 representing the First District, is described as a self-employed dairy farmer and a father of two daughters on the board’s website.
