The incident occurred on April 2, 2026, when the student attended the meeting to present her research on the district's schools to the board. Ervin made the comment after the student finished her speech. The district's superintendent, Jerry Boyd, noted that Ervin's behavior made attendees uncomfortable, and other board members looked visibly tense during the incident.
' Official responses have been swift, with an emergency meeting scheduled for April 8 to address the matter, with expectations that the board will consider and approve a motion to censure Ervin for his comments. Boyd said the board will review the disturbing interaction and intervene if necessary. Annette Buchanan, Chair of the Washington County Board of Education, released a statement on Monday about the ordeal, stating that Ervin made a grossly inappropriate comment toward the student board member.
God, you're hot, you know that? Where do you go to school at?
She added that the video was 'shocking,' and Ervin 'objectified and diminished a young woman publicly,' with no explanation justifying his actions. Ervin defended himself, saying the video was 'taken out of context' and that he was complimenting the girl for asking thoughtful questions. He has explained that he meant nothing offensive and that others have simply misunderstood his intentions.
However, parents in the district were outraged over Ervin's comments, calling for his removal. The video went viral on social media, with many alumni and parents of district students expressing their outrage over the incident.
In all honesty, it certainly was an uncomfortable situation. You know, there’s a lot of nervousness in the room.
Our board expects a high level of professionalism, and certainly it’s being discussed and questionable whether or not the comment met that standard. And I believe the general belief is no.