‘You are all cowards’: Student calls out school board after member calls her ‘hot’ during meeting

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) - A teenager called “hot” by a Tennessee school board member during a meeting had strong words for the board, who she says let her and her community down.

The teenager spoke for four minutes during a Washington County Board of Education meeting on Thursday, a month after she was called “hot” by board member Keith Ervin.

“To begin, I want to address Ervin’s actions, which were not only unwelcome but sexist and derogatory. I know this, because he has not behaved this way with any of our male members, nor do I think he ever would,” the student said.

Ervin was seen during the meeting on April 2, which was streamed on YouTube, putting his arm around the female student he was sitting next to and asking, “God, you’re hot. Do you know that? Where do you go to school?”

Other people could be heard laughing, and the meeting went on.

“The failure to act on the board’s behalf was and is equivalent to his actions, and it has hurt me just as much,” the student said.

In the month since, an online petition called for the removal of Ervin and Superintendent Jerry Boyd, and the board held an emergency meeting.

Ervin apologized during that meeting and offered an explanation for his words: “She continually fired off questions that thought out valid points,” he said. “When I mentioned she was hot, I meant she was on a roll. It had nothing to do with her appearance.”

See also: ‘The video speaks for itself.’ School board member censured over ‘God, you’re hot’ comment toward student in Tennessee

“I do not forgive you, and I do not accept your fake apologies used to protect yourselves. I do not believe you deserve that peace of mind, so every time you feel a little bit of discomfort from the public, I want you to remember that it isn’t even a fraction of the discomfort that I felt on April 2,” the student said.

The board voted no confidence during the emergency meeting, and Ervin was censured for a second time. The first happened in 2009 after he made a “lewd, juvenile gesture of a sexual nature” in front of students and teachers at an area high school.

Previous coverage: ‘No confidence’ vote targets school board member after ‘hot’ comment to student

While others have called for his removal, county leaders said that board members could not be terminated because they are elected officials.

“Gaining global attention for sexual comments and assault is not the reputation that Washington County deserves. Everyone on this board shares that blame, as does every voter who put you into office. I believe that you are all cowards, especially those who used their god as a cop-out for forgiveness,” the student said.

“Just as religion is not allowed in schools by authority figures, it has no place in this boardroom or any professional setting. If you choose to forgive him, that is your right. What you lack is accountability, and that may just be the most disturbing part.”

The student ended her speech thanking the board and stating the experience has given her reason to advocate for board members to receive sexual assault and inappropriate conduct training, as well as the importance of local elections.

She also thanked the board for “teaching me that no one will stand up for me besides myself. Thank you for showing this community what you think it means to protect our children.”

You can read her full statement below: