HAMPSTEAD, N.H. – A local budget committee chairman was banned from school property and forced to apologize after pointing out how students are most vulnerable to a sniper attack.

Hampstead Budget Committee Chairman Jorge Mesa-Tejada was speaking in regards to a proposed $4.5 million renovation project at Hampstead Central School Jan. 14 when he pointed out that eliminating students’ walk from the main building to portable classrooms likely would do little to improve student safety, the Union Leader reports.

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“Based on my Marine Corps training, if I wanted to do (students) harm, I wouldn’t do it while they are changing, going from the portable to the main building,” he said at the meeting last Thursday, according to WMUR. “I would wait until recess, I would hide in the woods behind them, and I’d have a field day.”

The comments, which Mesa-Tejada stopped when another budget committee member told him “no more,” allegedly prompted outrage among the public and school officials. The next day, Superintendent Earl Metzler issued a no-trespass order against Mesa-Tejada that prohibits him from entering school property without permission, the Union Leader reports.

Metzler and school board chairman Jason Cipriano also issued a statement characterizing their colleagues statements as “offensive and disgusting,” while others questioned whether he should step down.

Mesa-Tejada told the media he made the comments in response to the “safety emphasis” touted in a district infomercial about the proposed expansion.

“Stupidly, I used excessively graphic language,” he said in an apology issued Sunday. “It’s inexcusable and I apologize.”

“My intention was to highlight the fact that the children are more at risk on the playground than when moving between the trailers and the main building, should someone want to do them harm,” the apology read, according to WMUR.

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“In a nutshell, the whole situation is a blown-up situation from what I said …,” Mesa-Tejada told “GrokTalk,” a local radio program. “One of the main selling points from the school establishment is safety for the students walking from the portables to the main school, about 20 feet. … The argument is that any sniper could pick them off as they walk that 20 feet.

“That’s absolutely feasible, but look behind the school. … Thinking of my Marine Corps training, if I were them I would just hide in the woods and wait for recess and have a field day. That’s what set them off.”

“Those are the facts,” he continued. “Now the reason why they blew that up is because they are trying to silence me in the worst way because I have voted consistently for three years against the bond issue in the budget committee.”

Mesa-Tejada believes some school board members and school officials are also upset with him for proposing less costly upgrades instead of the full $4.5 million project, as well as budget cutting recommendations that go against the administration’s self-interests.

Mesa-Tejada and GrokTalk hosts pointed out some local media outlets are involved in the proposed bond issue – lending reporters to provide the voiceover for the infomercial – and have fanned the flames of the recent “controversy.”

Several commenters online clearly think school officials and the media are overreaction to Mesa-Tejada’s comments.

“Am I the only person on the planet who thinks this guy was alerting people that the issue they were addressing wasn’t going to keep the kids safe? And was verbally explaining why, in his experience, that was so?” Ann Bellamy questioned. “The reaction I’m hearing from the media was as if the guy was threatening the kids.”

“The is just insane to even be in the news,” Cherie Jewell wrote. “This could have been a quiet discussion by a group of people who obviously care about our children and this man is just pointing out areas of concern. People in that room should have thanked him and took his views into consideration to help keep the kids safe, no traumatize and treat him like a villain.”

“Much ado about nothing. The gentleman did nothing wrong,” pgs added. “The idiots who got all offended are the ones who should apologize.”