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Tennessee school board member charged after calling teenage girl 'hot'
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/22/tennessee-school-board-charged-comments-teenagerTennessee school board member charged after calling teenage girl ‘hot’
Keith Ervin, 59, was charged with assault after he told a student ‘God – you’re hot’ at a public meeting in April
Ramon Antonio Vargas
Fri 22 May 2026 05.00 EDT
An east Tennessee school board member who told a teenage girl, “God – you’re hot,” on video at a public meeting in April has been charged with assault.
State prosecutors on 18 May charged 59-year-old Keith Ervin under a Tennessee statute that outlaws “intentionally or knowingly [causing] physical contact with another [that] a reasonable person would regard … as extremely offensive or provocative”.
…
She laughed uncomfortably as he leaned in and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, continuing, “Where do you go to school at?” She provided the name of her school, and he rejoined, “All right.”
Other people in the room could be heard laughing at the end of the exchange. And the Washington school district’s superintendent, Jerry Boyd, visibly smiled while on the other side of the student.
… more …
(Rape culture)