Fireworks erupted at a DeSoto County School Board meeting Thursday morning, as concerned parents and community members demanded action after a former youth minister and basketball coach’s arrest for child sex crimes.
“Protect our kids!” chants rang out, with protestors expressing their disapproval with board member Michele Henley, the District 2 representative, sending a letter supporting embattled former DeSoto Central basketball coach Lindsey Whiteside to the judge who oversaw the defendant’s trial. Henley was noticeably not present at the meeting.
On Tuesday, Whiteside was sentenced to house arrest for a sexual relationship she had with a child while serving as a youth minister at Getwell Church in Hernando. Her lack of jail time sparked outcry from the community and DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton, who pursued a 30-year sentence against Whiteside. Barton argued that Henley used her status as a board member to impact how the judge ruled.
“If you are wondering why a judge would feel comfortable giving house arrest to a predator, when the victim and State were requesting the maximum sentence…then you can look no further than people like Michele Henley,” Barton said in a statement.
During Thursday’s school board meeting, protestors echoed Barton’s sentiments and called for Henley’s resignation. Attendees also called into question the vetting process that teachers are required to undergo before being introduced to the classroom, noting that multiple former area educators have been arrested for child sex crimes over the past decade.
“You’ve had 15 arrests in the last 10 years of teachers sexually assaulting children — 15 — four this year. You’ve been here for 40 years, and we’ve had 15 sexual assault arrests in the last 15 years. What are you doing?” one protestor asked as the majority of those in attendance erupted in a loud, “Nothing!”
During the meeting, DeSoto County School District Superintendent Cory Uselton sat back and listened to the masses before weighing in. Uselton, after being demanded to censor Henley and hold a vote to remove her from the board, informed the crowd that he did not have that authority, but that he would relay to the District 2 board member that people are calling for her to vacate the post. He also agreed to meet with parents and hear their concerns in the aftermath of the Whiteside sentencing.
As for Henley’s remarks, the school board member wrote about how Whiteside coached her daughter and helped her improve her basketball skills. Henley referred to Whiteside as “supportive” and “helpful” when discussing the role the coach played in her daughter’s life.
“Lindsey was always encouraging, supportive, and helpful during their training sessions. She continuously gave my daughter pointers on how to improve her game while encouraging her every step of the way,” Henley wrote of Whiteside’s character.
“When my daughter made the team, we sent Lindsey a text to tell her. She was so excited for my daughter and, again, encouraged her to keep working hard to get better every day,” she continued. “Middle school can be hard for a young person. I am happy to say, Lindsey’s encouragement and support helped my daughter not only make the team, but have a wonderful middle school experience.”
Henley, however, maintained that she was only speaking about her personal experience with Whiteside and not defending her actions. Whiteside was convicted of having a sexual relationship with a female teenager between the ages of 14 and 15 from May to November of 2024, where she engaged in a pattern of inappropriate behavior with the minor, including exchanging more than 60,000 messages in that timespan.
Henley was not the only person to seemingly rush to Whiteside’s aid. A source told SuperTalk Mississippi News that some Getwell church members pressured others to publicly support Whiteside, while also using Bible verses out of context to excuse her actions.
Barton plans to continue pursuing prison time against Whiteside, arguing that her sentence was unlawful and the crime she committed is not eligible for house arrest.
