MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A top official in Milwaukee Public Schools was put on administrative leave after he flipped the bird to a teachers union photographer during a board meeting last week.

MPS put the superintendent’s chief of staff, Erbert Johnson, on administrative leave as it investigates what’s being described on Twitter as #fingergate, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

“Joe Brusky, the (Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association) social media organizer, took and posted to the union’s website at least one photo of Johnson with his hand on his head and middle finger extended,” according to the news site.

“Bob Peterson, president of the MTEA, said the union took the photo down after receiving an emailed apology from Johnson about an hour after the meeting. By that time the photo had already been shared repeatedly on Facebook and Twitter, at least once with the hashtag #fingergate.”

The news site reports MTEA members have increasingly sent a photographer or video person to board meetings to record members testifying. MTEA officials told the Journal Sentinel Johnson was looking at a union videographer when he flipped the bird while teachers were testifying.

“An apology only goes so far for a public official in that kind of setting,” Peterson told the news site. “I’m pleased that this fairly swift action from superintendent (Darienne) Driver shows that she’s very concerned about the situation.”

Johnson, who makes $138,671 in salary a year, was previously the district’s comptroller before moving to the chief of staff position last summer.

MORE NEWS: How to prepare for face-to-face classes

The Journal Sentinel reports that Johnson has asked union photographers and videographers to move back from the stage during previous meetings in which teachers testified.

The Associated Press attempted to contact Johnson about fingergate, but his phone number is not listed and the news service could not track him down.

Bruskey’s Twitter post, on the other hand, generated a lot of comments.

The original post included the picture of Johnson flipping the camera the bird with the comment “Apparently MPS’s second in command didn’t like my filming him or our member’s testimony tonight.”

James Phelps (@jhphelpsjr) simply called Johnson a “clown,” while Gail Milbrath (@milbrathgm) questioned: “How will E. Johnson apologize to parents and Milw community?”

Milbrath also posted a meme of the infamous finger photo with the caption “The moment you realize what central officer leadership really thinks of the parents and employees of MPS.”

Rachel Ramirez (@rachelrenram) also reposted the image with the hastag #fingergate and commented: “MPS COS Erbert Johnson shows respect to teachers/parents expressing concern about proposed MPS budget.”

The Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association also posted the Journal Sentinel story on Facebook with the image of Johnson’s middle finger extended against his head and a comment from Peterson.

“We are pleased with this action by Superintendent Driver. We would expect a Chief of Staff to be a calm presence helping to resolve problems, not creating them,” Peterson wrote. “We believe all MPS employees, especially those in leadership of the district, should exhibit the highest professional standards at all times.”

The post garnered 72 likes and 51 shares, about twice as many as most posts on the MTEA’s Facebook page.

“Unprofessional and disrespectful,” Lisa Moline commented on the post. “I’m glad to hear there is some action.”

Michelle Sment also took Johnson to task for his hand gesture.

“Well, teachers’ appreciation week is over and we are back to disrespect and bashing. It is sickening that someone who owes his paycheck to MPS could be this crass and act in such a vulgar and idiotic manner towards his fellow employees. … Shame on him!” Sment wrote.

Of course, the same could be said of the ridiculous teachers union inspired protests that have depicted Gov. Scott Walker as Hitler on placards and poster boards.