An Ankeny woman who once worked as a middle school math teacher and softball coach will spend the next 20 years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a student that started nearly a decade ago.
Rachel Whiteside, 35, was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee. Investigators say the abuse began back in 2015, when the student was just 14 years old, and continued for several years.
Whiteside worked at Northview Middle School in the Ankeny Community School District from 2014 to early 2024. She was arrested earlier this year and originally faced several charges, including sexual abuse and lascivious conduct.
In court, Whiteside apologized, but the judge said he wasn’t convinced she truly took responsibility for her actions—and gave her the maximum sentence allowed under Iowa law.
