School board member who hugged teen and called her ‘hot’ is charged with assault
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Tennessee school board member Keith Ervin has been charged with assault after hugging a teenage girl and calling her “hot” during a public meeting on April 2.
- The student, a board member herself, publicly criticized Ervin and the board for their failure to act, labeling his behavior as sexist and unwelcome.
- Ervin apologized in April, claiming his comment was meant to praise the student’s performance, not her appearance, but the board censured him and stated it lacks authority to remove him.
- The school board emphasized that Ervin’s actions do not represent the district’s values and will defer to law enforcement for resolution.
- Ervin’s initial court appearance is scheduled for August, while the student has rejected the board’s apologies as insincere.