“Grossly inappropriate” – Board of education chair wants Ervin censured

A statement released Monday afternoon by Washington County Tennessee Board of Education Chair Annette Buchanan says she anticipates a motion from fellow members to have District 4 rep Keith Ervin censured for remarks he made.

The report says an emergency meeting of the board has been called for Wednesday at 4 p.m. to address the matter.

A video featuring Ervin at a recent board session addressing a student Board member, calling her “hot,” has gone viral on social media. Ervin told WJHL that his comments were not meant as harmful to the teen and that his remarks were taken out of context.

Here are portions of the statement sent to local news outlets:

“On Thursday, April 2, 2026, one of our colleagues, Keith Ervin, made a grossly inappropriate comment
toward our student Board member. Mr. Ervin has explained that he meant nothing offensive and that we
have simply misunderstood his intentions.
“Mr. Ervin knows his own intentions, but the rest of us have to judge his words and his actions. What we
saw was shocking. He objectified and diminished a young woman publicly. No explanation can justify
that.
“…As the Chair of the Board of Education, I greatly appreciate the support the community has shown for
our school system and the advocacy so many have shared in support of the Board approaching this
matter head-on. We are committed to being worthy of your trust”.

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