The Godley, Texas school district removed a woman appointed to assist with deciding things like age-appropriate material for sex education, after learning she was a convicted prostitute.
The woman, identified as Ashley Ketcherside, also advertises online as an escort, with one site listing one of her personas as active last month.
Some may be puzzled by the idea of a prostitute working for a district, but others are concerned about the background checks conducted in Godley ISD as well as across the state.
We had no idea about her private life. Kayla Lain, a trustee on the Godley ISD school board, told the station that she was “always very friendly and personable”.
Mary Lowe of the nonprofit group Families Engaged for Effective Education commented on Ketcherside being a convicted prostitute and working on a council that recommends “appropriate grade levels and methods for human sexuality instruction” within the district.
She said, “I can’t imagine any community wanting to have that as the standard in their school district.”
Ketcherside was a member of a School Health Advisory Council, which is a requirement by state law that all school districts have. These councils provide school boards with recommendations on health education protocols, such as “appropriate grades and curriculums for instruction about […] sexual trafficking.”
Lain said that Lowe and the nonprofit Lowe is part of, made her aware of Ketcherside’s history of prostitution.
Ketcherside is seen in the YouTube video of the first council meeting of the school year, which took place in October. According to a district spokesperson, Ketcherside is listed in the minutes as a member of a committee. Members are appointed by the school board.
Rich Dear, Godley ISD superintendent, appointed her to the Long-Range Facility Planning Committee.
Ketcherside, who is also a member of her husband’s Godley Athletic Booster Club and Parent Teacher Organization, also served as a Volunteer on these committees. Godley ISD reported that Ashley Ketcherside is also the leader of a local cheerleading team.
Lowe said that parents began to suspect Ketcherside when she claimed to have multiple businesses. However, information about these businesses could not be found.
Lowe stated that parents began to investigate Ketcherside’s background out of suspicion. They learned through a LexisNexis Search that one of Ketcherside’s email addresses was the same as “Lola Brea” on an escort website.
The station obtained court documents from Tarrant County which revealed Ashley Ketcherside whose birth name was Ashley Villalobos had been convicted of prostitution both in 2012 and 2016. An affidavit claimed she is also “known as Lola Brea.”
Lola Brea was advertised on an escort website last month. She has reviews of clients from this year as well as those dating back to a decade.
In Texas, escort sites, as they are called, are legal. They charge for companionship and their time. As soon as sex is exchanged for money, it becomes prostitution.
A judge signed an injunction in 2016 that prohibited certain children from visiting “anyplace of Ashley Villalobos’ residence” because she was a “known prostitute.”
Godley ISD stated that, due to the findings of the investigation, they informed “the parent” that they could no longer serve in district committees or other volunteer capacities. This was effective immediately.
When asked whether background checks were necessary for any of Ketcherside’s positions, the district responded “Yes.”
The district said that it would never allow someone with certain criminal convictions to hold a position in the district or volunteer.
Lowe said that the convictions will not appear in a background investigation because they are misdemeanors. She said that the state should look into this in regard to how people are checked when they participate in schools.
The whistleblowers wanted it to be known that this story was not about prostitution but rather about a lack of oversight.
Lowe stated, “We do feel there are many changes that need to happen at both the state and local levels.”
The district stated that each member of the SHAC is appointed by the school board.
Although Ketcherside was listed as a member of the SHAC online and was seen on video sitting at the meeting table, the district claims it was a mistake and she did not go through the approval process.
