A middle-aged male school board member was slapped with criminal charges after he placed his arm around a teenage girl and called her 'hot' during a public meeting.
Keith Ervin, a board member of Washington County Schools, was charged with assault - physical contact, according to court records obtained by News 5.
The 59-year-old was hit with the charge nearly seven weeks after a meeting on April 2 where Ervin was filmed touching Hannah Campbell and can be heard saying, 'God, you're hot, you know that? Damn. Where do you go to school at?'
Uncomfortable laughter filled the room after the board member's comment, and he could then be seen placing his hand on Campbell's back once again.
The meeting carried on and concluded without further incident, but the footage of Ervin's actions immediately sparked backlash within the community and online.
On May 7, Campbell returned before the Washington County Board of Education and read a scathing statement blasting the board as 'cowards.'
'Thank you for teaching me that no one will stand up for me, besides myself,' she told them bitterly.
She went on to place blame on the rest of the board before concluding her statement by thanking them for 'showing this community what you think it means to protect our children.'
59-year-old Keith Ervin, a board member of Washington County Schools, was charged with assault - physical contact, according to court records obtained by News 5
The 59-year-old was hit with the charge nearly seven weeks after a meeting on April 2 where Ervin was filmed touching Hannah Campbell. She returned in front of the board on May 7 to read a scathing statement blasting the board as 'cowards'
Ervin did not give up his position, and he was not fired.
The Washington County Board of Education said that elected officials cannot be terminated, but they censured him, which is an official and public condemnation of his actions.
The district released a statement acknowledging the charges against Ervin.
'The Board of Education has been notified that formal charges of simple assault have been filed against Board Member Keith Ervin following an incident involving a student representative at the April 2, 2026, Board meeting,' the statement reads.
'Board chair Annette Buchannan previously stated that Mr. Ervin's comments and actions were "shocking' and that he 'objectified and diminished a young woman." The Board reiterates that Mr. Ervin's actions do not reflect the standards, policies, or values of the school district. The Board remains committed to ensuring a safe, respectful, and appropriate environment for all students and staff.'
'The Board will defer to law enforcement and the judicial system for the resolution of these charges. Under Tennessee law, school board members are independently elected officials, and so the Board lacks the statutory authority to remove a sitting member from office.'
Ervin was captured on video putting his arm around a female student during a board meeting and called her 'hot'
Ervin said that his statement was misconstrued and previously told NBC News: 'When I mentioned she was hot, I meant she was on a roll. It was nothing to do with her appearance'
Ervin has previously defended himself by saying that his statement was misconstrued and previously told NBC News: 'When I mentioned she was hot, I meant she was on a roll. It was nothing to do with her appearance.'
Last month, Washington County Board of Education Chair Annette Buchanan released a public statement that said, 'Mr Ervin has explained that he meant nothing offensive and that we have simply misunderstood his intentions.'
She also said, however, that 'Mr Ervin knows his own intentions, but the rest of us have to judge his words and his actions,' which she called 'shocking' and 'grossly inappropriate.'
According to the Johnson City Press, Ervin is due to appear in court in August.