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Godley ISD committee member's past raises concerns
A woman tasked with helping decide sexual education curriculum in Godley ISD has been removed from multiple positions within the district because she's a convicted prostitute. The discovery raises concerns about background checks in the district and across the state.
GODLEY, Texas - A woman tasked with helping decide sexual education curriculum in Godley ISD has been removed from multiple positions within the district because she's a convicted prostitute.
A FOX 4 investigation also found she is advertising herself online as an escort.
The discovery raises concerns about background checks in the district and across the state.
"We had no idea what was going on in her personal life. She was always very friendly and personable," said Godley ISD School Board trustee Kayla Lain.
A convicted prostitute, actively advertising as an escort, was serving on a council that recommends "appropriate grade levels and methods for human sexuality instruction within Godley ISD."
Ashley Ketcherside
"I don’t see any community wanting that to be the standard for their school district," said Mary Lowe with the nonprofit group Families Engaged for Effective Education.
School Health Advisory Councils, or SHACs, are required by Texas law.
SHACs recommend to school boards a wide range of health education protocols for students, including "appropriate grade levels and curriculum for instruction regarding […] sex trafficking."
"I would not want children to be subject to those type of people," said Lain.
Lain was made aware of a now former SHAC member's history of prostitution by Mary Lowe and her nonprofit.
"We can do better, and we must do better," said Lowe.
Ashley Ketcherside is shown in a Godley ISD YouTube video at the SHAC's first meeting of the school year in October. She's listed as a committee member in meeting minutes. Members need to be appointed by the school board to serve, according to a district spokesperson.
The spokesperson says Ketcherside's family entered the district this year.
Ketcherside was also selected by Superintendent Rich Dear to the Long Range Facility Planning Committee.
She was a volunteer on the Family and Community Engagement Committee, Parent Teacher Organization and Godley Athletic Booster Club.
Ketcherside also leads a "local cheerleading group," according to Godley ISD.
"I believe that parents need to know," said Lowe.
Lowe says some parents became suspicious of Ketcherside because she claimed to own multiple businesses, but information about those businesses was unknown.
"Some parents took it to investigate and came up with this," Lowe said.
A LexisNexis public records search reveals one of her email addresses matches the same email address on escort sites for "Lola Brea."
"I googled her email address and that's how I was able to find the escort services," said Lain.
Lola Brea's images are found on public websites, some images are too risque to use in our report.
Tarrant County court documents obtained by FOX 4 reveal Ashley Ketcherside, whose maiden name is Ashley Villalobos, was found guilty of prostitution in 2012 and 2016.
An affidavit claims she is "also known as Lola Brea."
One escort site says Lola Brea was active last month. Lola Brea has client reviews this year and reviews date back a decade.
Escort sites are legal in Texas.
Escorts charge for their companionship and time. However, if sex is exchanged for money, it is prostitution.
"We don’t know what kind of clients she comes into contact with or who she works for," said Lain.
In 2016, regarding a separate matter, a judge signed an injunction not allowing specific children to visit "any place of Ashley Villalobos' residence" because she was a "known prostitute."
"I believe that parents need to know," said Lowe.
In a statement, Godley ISD tells FOX 4:
Still, FOX 4 asked Godley ISD if a background check was required for any of Ketecherside's positions.
"Yes," the district replied. "Obviously, the district would not knowingly allow anyone to work in a staff position or to volunteer with certain criminal convictions in their background."
"We would think that typically if you ran a background check that those arrests would show up, and they don’t — they’re misdemeanors in the State of Texas," said Lowe. "I think this is something that the state needs to look at in regards to how they’re screening people that participate in schools."
FOX 4 made multiple attempts to reach Ketcherside by email, phone and in-person, but no one answered the door at her listed address.
Her husband, Michael Ketcherside, serves on the Athletic Booster Club and Watch Dogs, a group of fathers who volunteer throughout the school day, according to Godley ISD.
One 2016 court document obtained by FOX 4 claims Michael Ketcherside "is very supportive of her profession."
"If that parent feels like I don’t care if my child is around her. We like Mrs. Ketcherside. We like Mr. Ketcherside. We welcome them to our community. That is their choice, but they do need to know this has been a documented part of her life," Lowe said.
Still, according to whistleblowers, this story is not all about prostitution, rather a lack of oversight.
"We do feel like there are a lot of changes that need to happen at the state level, as well as at the local level," Lowe said.
Godley ISD told FOX 4 members of the Student Health Advisory Committee are appointed by the school board, but even though we saw Ketcherside on video at the meeting table, and she was listed as a member online, the district says it was a mistake, and she never went through the approval process.
For some, that raises more questions.
The Godley Police Department tells FOX 4 it is "generally aware of the allegations; however, there is no official criminal investigation at this time based on the allegations alone."