Former Ankeny teacher gets 20 years for sexual exploitation of a student
A former Ankeny middle school teacher and softball coach will spend the next 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee - pattern, practice or scheme of conduct.
According to the Polk County Attorney's Office, 35-year-old Rachel Elizabeth Whiteside was arrested in February 2024 after school officials received a tip from a former student that Whiteside started a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student in 2015, when she was 26 years old. Whiteside was a teacher and softball coach at Ankeny Northview Middle School.
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At sentencing, Whiteside's attorneys argued for a 10-year sentence, but Polk County Judge Paul Scott sentenced her to four consecutive sentences of five years, for a total of 20 years behind bars. Whiteside will also be under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections for 10 years and be listed on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.
"The defendant sees herself as the victim in this case," said Assistant County Attorney Thomas Tolbert. "She should have been the teacher she was required to be. Instead of helping (the victim), she sexually abused her multiple times."
Whiteside apologized to the victim, saying, "This was entirely my failure. I had a responsibility to maintain boundaries, and I deeply regret the harm I caused."
The victim said Whiteside controlled, manipulated and abused her for seven years.
"I looked up to this person, and she took advantage of my vulnerability," the victim said. She also said the abuse and trauma drove her to attempt suicide multiple times.
The victim's mother said the abuse emotionally and financially impacted the victim's family.
"I've had anxiety and feelings of guilt for not being able to protect my child," the mother said.
Before sentencing Whiteside, Scott said he was "struck by (her) lack of acceptance of responsibility."
"It was grooming from the beginning to the end," he said.