A school board member in Washington County, Tennessee, is facing criticism following remarks made to a high school student during a public meeting that was livestreamed, as reported by The New York Post.

Keith Ervin, an elected member of the Washington County Board of Education, drew attention after addressing a student who spoke at Thursday’s meeting regarding school restructuring and curriculum.

The student, a senior, had approached the board to share her perspective during the session.

According to video from the meeting, Ervin placed his arm around the student and made comments that prompted reactions both in the room and later online.

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“God you’re hot, you know that?” Ervin said to the student.

He then asked, “Where do you go to school at?”

The student responded that she attends David Crockett High School. Ervin replied, “All right.”

A Tennessee school board member is facing backlash after telling a high school student, “God, you’re hot,” during a meeting and putting his arm around her.

"God you’re hot, you know that? Where do you go to school at?" pic.twitter.com/fJHoijeSmR — Brandon Straka #WalkAway (@BrandonStraka) April 8, 2026

The meeting continued without any immediate objection or intervention from other board members. However, the exchange gained wider attention after video of the interaction circulated online.

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A petition calling for Ervin’s removal, as well as disciplinary action against Superintendent Jerry Boyd, gathered more than 3,400 signatures.

 

The petition alleges that Boyd laughed following the remarks and criticized the response from school officials.

“This is not the first time Keith Ervin has been in trouble for inappropriate conduct,” the petition states.

“Despite previous incidents, he maintained his position, raising questions about the accountability and integrity of those in power within our education system.”

The petition further argues that allowing such conduct to continue “sets a poor example for our children and undermines the moral and ethical standards expected of educators and officials entrusted with our children’s education and welfare.”

Brad Arnett, who created the petition, said he was concerned by what he saw in the video.

“As a father of both a boy and a girl, I was appalled by the video, as anyone who is a decent human being should be,” Arnett told WSMV.

He also alleged that officials protect one another, describing it as a “good ole boy system.”

Board Chair Annette Buchanan later addressed the situation, stating that the comment “objectified and diminished” the student.

Parents who viewed the video also raised concerns about the lack of response during the meeting.

“My initial thought on it was that the people were laughing afterward; no one bothered to defend her,” Melanie Bell told WJHL. “They all seemed a little like, ‘Oh, this is nerve-racking.’ But they didn’t say anything.”

“He’s an elected official, so he should be definitely minding his p’s and q’s, especially on camera, because he’s representing the board of education, not just himself,” Bell added.

Ervin responded to the criticism, saying he did not intend harm and that the student had asked thoughtful questions during the meeting.

“I mean, I was impressed, and the other board members was impressed because she the question she asked. And, you know, I’m old school. I’m an old farm boy. And I didn’t mean nothing by anything. I just was proud of her.”

He also said there was “a lot of context missing” from the widely shared video clip.

An emergency meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, where Ervin is expected to face censure. A protest related to the incident has also been organized.

Ervin is currently seeking re-election. Under local rules, removal from office would require a recall supported by two-thirds of registered voters who participated in the previous election.

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