Two Butler County commissioners have officially reprimanded the third for his behavior last week at an elementary school.

Commissioners Bill McCarrier and Dale Pinkerton on Tuesday censured Commissioner Jim Eckstein for his behavior following a D.A.R.E. Graduation at South Butler Intermediate Elementary School.

After the graduation ended Thursday morning, Eckstein swore using the F-word while complaining to Sheriff Mike Slupe about not having the chance to speak at the event.

McCarrier, board chairman, said it was time to admonish Eckstein for his poor conduct, which has extended for more than two years.

“(It’s) the straw that broke the camel’s back,” McCarrier said.

Pinkerton agreed Eckstein went too far.

“It’s not acceptable,” Pinkerton said. “It is out of hand right now.”

Eckstein said he regrets using the expletive in the school on Dinnerbell Road in Jefferson Township.

“I made a mistake in a moment of passion,” he said. “I’d like to apologize to the administration, the students and the teachers.”

But Eckstein would not apologize to Slupe, whose office does the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in schools.

Slupe declined to respond to Eckstein’s refusal.

McCarrier said Eckstein is remiss in not apologizing to Slupe.

“To me, the sheriff should be the number one person he apologizes to,” McCarrier said.

Eckstein also accused his colleagues of being hypocrites for criticizing him for degrading others.

“They belittled and badgered me in the past,” Eckstein said.

Slupe said any references to him and his office in the censure were appropriate, but he had no opinion on the other parts of the document.

Along with Slupe, Saxonburg District Judge Sue Haggerty and Saxonburg Mayor Pam Bauman, who both attended the event, also chastised Eckstein for swearing in front of fifth graders.

Eckstein’s response to the criticism was saying the private conversation was not heard by the children as they were too far away and people were already getting up and leaving by then.

However, Eckstein on Monday had a change of heart, saying in an interview he was not going to attend any more D.A.R.E. functions.

He plans to focus more on supporting adults with drug and alcohol issues who enter the county court system and receive treatment through county human services.

Slupe last week said the D.A.R.E. invitation list would be adjusted due to Eckstein’s behavior.

Eckstein, who arrived late to the graduation, maintains he should have been allowed to speak.

McCarrier, Haggerty and Slupe spoke to the 11-year-olds.

Eckstein points to a May 30 invitation letter indicating guests would be allowed to talk.

According to the letter, “I have instructed that my D.A.R.E. deputies limit the speakers to the invited guest or elected official in attendance.”

Slupe said the letter has the opposite meaning of what Eckstein claims, saying it indicates not every official will speak.

The sheriff stressed every government official attending a D.A.R.E. function does not get to speak.

Slupe said no one but Eckstein has complained.

“They were fine with it,” Slupe said.