A mum was kicked out of her role on a sex education school board after it emerged she had previously been convicted for being a sex worker.
Ashley Ketcherside, 38, of Texas, was convicted twice for engaging in sex work before she joined the Godley ISD School Board, around 30 miles south of Fort Worth. One of the trustees on the board said they had “no idea” about her personal life, but added that she was “very friendly and personable”.
Ms Ketcherside continued to advertise her sex work while working on the board, under the alias “true girl next door” Lola Brea. The School Health Advisory Councils recommends a large range of health education protocols for students, one of which includes “appropriate grade levels and curriculum for instruction regarding […] sex trafficking”.
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Sex work is illegal in Texas, and is usually categorised as a Class B misdemeanour which can result in punishment of 180 days in jail and a maximum $2,000 fine. A second or third offence can lead to 1 year in jail and a maximum $4,000 fine, while a fourth (and more) offence could be classed as a state felony.
Ms Ketcherside also was involved in a “local cheerleading group” and volunteered on multiple district panels such as the Family and Community Engagement Committee, Parent Teacher Organization and Godley Athletic Booster Club. But she has now been sacked from each of these community roles.
Parents discovered Ms Ketcherside’s work after becoming suspicious of the businesses she claimed to own but couldn’t discuss, before googling her to find out about the escort service. The parents continued to dig and found multiple Lola Brea profiles on various escort sites - websites where sex workers can make a profile to sell their services, which are legal in Texas.
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Ms Ketcherside had been found guilty of exchanging money for sexual services in Fort Worth both in 2012 and 2016. Parents in Godley became opposed to Ms Ketcherside continuing her community volunteering and engagement after making the discovery of her prior convictions, the New York Post reported.
Godley ISD told Fox 4 it had conducted a background check before appointing her and claimed she had not been officially appointed to the Student Health Advisory Committee - despite video evidence showing her at meetings and the Godley ISD website listing her as a member. They claimed this was a “mistake”, adding: “Obviously, the district would not knowingly allow anyone to work in a staff position or to volunteer with certain criminal convictions in their background,” the district said.
The city of Godley is a tiny town in northwestern Johnson County, Texas, with a population estimated in 2019 of just 1,373. The city recently made the news after a council member sued the former mayor of Godley - claiming he abused his position to silence her after she was arrested when posing questions on the city’s finances and hiring practices.