Image Credit: Washington County School Board
Tennessee Conservative News Staff –
The student who was the recipient of questionable comments from a Washington County School Board member addressed the board at their meeting last week, referring to them as “cowards.”
In video footage of the school board’s April 2nd meeting, board member Keith Ervin can be heard saying to the student, “God, you’re hot, you know that? Where do you go to school at?”
When the student answered that she attended David Crockett High School, Ervin touched her on the shoulder and said, “alright.”
In the time since the video’s viral release on social media, many have called for Ervin to resign or to be removed.
In an interview with News Channel 11, Ervin stated that his statement was taken out of context, insisting that he was simply trying to compliment the student on the well thought out questions she had asked throughout the meeting.
Ervin was not in attendance for the April 28 board meeting, but he was in place for last Thursday’s meeting.
The student spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, stating that she felt Ervin’s previous comments were “not only unwelcome, but sexist and derogatory.”
She criticized the board chair, as well as the entire board, for a lack of action.
“The failure to act on the board’s behalf was and is equivalent to his actions, as it has hurt me just as much,” she stated. “To watch the chairperson be so quick to bang her gavel and control the public yet not use it once in order to control her own peer was disgusting.”
“I understand the shock. I was there. But it is her responsibility to control and represent this board. You all have done a poor job at that representation. Gaining global attention for sexual comments and assault is not the reputation that Washington County deserves.”
“Everyone on this board shares that blame, just as every voter who put you into office shares that responsibility. I believe that you’re all cowards, especially those who use their God as a copout for forgiveness.”
“If you choose to forgive him, that is your right, but own it,” she concluded.
In an emergency meeting on April 8, the board voted to censure Ervin. Additionally, the Washington County Commission made a vote of no confidence in Ervin.
