Mississippi parents protest after school officials pen character references for convicted sex offender

Multiple parents kept their children away from a Mississippi school district Wednesday to protest officials who wrote character references on behalf of a convicted sex offender.

“There is a lot of upset and a lot of healing that needs to be done,” Katie Sasso, a mother of two, told local media about DeSoto County Parents for Accountability’s countywide protest and walkout at DeSoto County Schools (DCS).

“It’s not just the teachers who wrote letters or the assistant principal, it’s the policies that allowed that to happen.”

DCS’s former assistant basketball coach Lindsey Whiteside pleaded guilty to sexual battery after allegedly grooming a minor female. The prosecutor sought a sentence of 30 years, but instead Whiteside was given just three years of house arrest, which the prosecutor called an “abomination of justice.” 

Meanwhile, nearly a dozen DCS educators gave character references for Whiteside before her conviction. DCS school board member Michele Henley did the same, describing Whiteside as “encouraging, supportive, and helpful.” 

After the conviction, DCS Superintendent Cory Uselton sent a letter to parents defending the district. 

“In Monday’s press conference, it was indicated that some DCS employees provided character references. Those actions were taken in their personal capacities and were not sanctioned by DeSoto County Schools,” Uselton explained. 

“Even when employees’ personal opinions do not align with the district’s values, school districts are bound by employment laws that protect due process and clearly define when and how disciplinary action can be taken.” 

That doesn’t mean, he concluded, that DCS “agrees with or supports the actions of any employee whose behavior conflicts with our core values.” 

Now, outraged parents are protesting district leadership and calling for Henley’s resignation from the board. 

“When those in positions of trust defend someone convicted of harming a child, and leadership chooses not to address it, it sends the wrong message about whose safety really matters,” DeSoto County Parents for Accountability wrote about the stay-at-home protest. 

The parents group also alleged on its Facebook page that district leadership threatened families not to participate in the protest. 

“Parents from multiple DeSoto County schools have reported that certain administrators and staff made troubling statements about the parent-led accountability movement and the upcoming walkout,” the group wrote. “Some parents and students have even been told that participating in the walkout could prevent them from taking part in extracurricular activities, such as sports or band events. 

“Let’s be clear: Students and parents cannot be punished, threatened, or retaliated against for peacefully exercising their constitutional right to free speech or for participating in a lawful, peaceful demonstration – especially one focused on accountability and protecting children.” 

A petition for Henley’s resignation has over 4,000 signatures, and at least one elementary teacher who supported Whiteside will no longer be employed at DCS.