Hoboken Councilman Michael DeFusco decided to follow Michelle Obama’s lead and "go high" after a member of the Board of Education texted out a homophobic message to her colleagues.

When Irene Korman Sobolov texted an article that DeFusco was cited in, along with the message “Butt Buddies,” there were calls for her to step down. "For the good of the school district, she should resign," school board member John Madigan told NJ.com. "We have a gay-straight student alliance in the high school. You think that's going to make them feel welcome?"

But DeFusco, who is openly gay, disagreed, saying it was a teachable moment, not time for punishment.

"Hoboken is far too divided and I'd like to work with Irene, and everybody, to make our city a better, more inclusive place," DeFusco wrote in an email to NJ Advance Media. "I believe in a future where politics come second to doing what's right."

Sobolov, who was reelected in November, insists she sent the text to all eight board members “accidentally,” and maintained she didn’t know “butt buddies” was a gay slur. (She didn’t provide any other explanation for why she used the term, though.)

A fourth-generation resident, Sobolov was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Elks Club in 2010.

"Irene espouses everything that the Elks stand for," Exalted Leader Bea Inhulson said at the time. "She's a great mom, involved in every community event. She's totally committed to everything she's involved in. She'll roll up her sleeves and help cook, she helps with soccer. And she's a nice person."

Sobolov apologized to DeFusco and said she “truly regrets the situation.”