Suburban Nashville school official censured over ‘tongue kiss’ comment

The Wilson County School Board, east of Nashville, has voted to publicly censure a sitting board member after allegations of offensive comments to staff members.

Board member Wayne McNeese was accused of asking a district staff member for a “tongue kiss” on May 4, when a board meeting was scheduled at the Wilson County Schools main office, according to a May 28 complaint.

A former district employee filed a second complaint stating she was trying to schedule a room for school board members for a conference in April 2016. The complaint accuses McNeese of stating: “I don’t care what bed

I have as long as I’m sharing a bed with you.”

McNeese has denied both allegations.

A Memphis-based law firm was hired to investigate the complaints.

The law firm reported on Monday to a district ethics committee that statements McNeese is accused of occurred “substantially,” as described in the complaints, but did not rise to sexual harassment in an address to the ethics committee.

However, the statements McNeese is accused of did not promote a healthy environment and did not support and protect district personnel, according to the firm’s opinion.

Board members Linda Armistead, Bill Robinson and Kimberly McGee were appointed as a temporary ethics committee to hear the complaint and approved referring the law firm’s findings to the full board to consider a public censure.

The school board voted 6-0 to publicly censure McNeese.

Thursday’s election includes McNeese’s seat. He has three challengers to his re-election.