When 91原创 Grade 6 student Sherry Tung said she was sometimes late for classes because her school is so far away from her home and there was road construction along the route her parents drive, school board chairperson Wendy Johnson had a solution.

鈥淢aybe you should organize your family better so they get up earlier,鈥� Johnson told Tung, when the soft-voiced pre-teen spoke in favor of keeping the Routley school property at the Tuesday night school board meeting.

The chair鈥檚 comment drew groans, catcalls and boos from the audience.

Johnson said she didn鈥檛 mean to hurt anyone鈥檚 feelings and if she had, she was sorry.

Tung was taken aback.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 kind of mean,鈥� she told The Times as the meeting was wrapping up.

Moments later, Johnson approached Tung and her mother to make a direct apology, saying she was trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.

鈥淚t was not meant in a malicious way,鈥� Johnson said, adding she had the utmost respect for Tung鈥檚 bravery in speaking before a public meeting.

Tung said she accepted the apology, but some parents in the audience seemed less less forgiving, complaining that the remarks showed the board doesn鈥檛 take their concerns seriously.