JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. – (WOKI / WVLT) – A Washington County School Board member is facing a criminal charge following an incident involving a student representative during a public meeting.
According to court records, Keith Ervin has been indicted by a grand jury on a charge of simple assault involving physical contact. The charge stems from an April 2 Board of Education meeting that was livestreamed, during which Ervin made inappropriate comments toward a student board member and touched her.
The incident sparked backlash from the community and school officials. About a week later, the board held a special session and unanimously voted to censure Ervin, formally condemning his actions. However, under Tennessee law, elected school board members cannot be removed from office by the board.
The student involved later addressed the board publicly, criticizing members for what she described as a lack of meaningful consequences and calling for accountability.
In a statement, the Washington County Board of Education said Ervin’s actions were “shocking” and did not reflect the district’s values, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for students and staff.
Officials say they will defer to the legal process moving forward. Ervin is scheduled to appear in court on August 7.
