Lyndsey Sherrod Bates: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Lyndsey Sherrod Bates, a former Madison High School teacher in Alabama and the daughter-in-law of a sheriff’s deputy, is in police custody after she was accused of having sex with one of her students.

According to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Bates, 22, is being held on a felony count of engaging in a sex act with a student younger than 19. Bates is also facing misdemeanor counts of having sexual contact and distributing obscene material to a student. Bates’ bail has been set at $32,000. Bates turned herself into the Madison County Jail at around 4:30 p.m. on April 12.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Bates’ Father-in-Law Is the Chief of Deputies at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office

Facebook/Lyndsey Sherrod Bates

Bates is the daughter-in-law of chief deputy of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Stacy Bates. Madison County Sheriff Kevin Turner told Alabama.com in a statement, “The Sheriff’s Office started an investigation as soon as the allegations were brought to our attention, and Chief Bates was never involved in that investigation.”

Madison County Schools Superintendent Matt Massey told the media that Bates began teaching at Madison County High School at the beginning of the 2018/19 school year. She has since resigned her position. Massey said that the school district is co-operating fully with the investigation.

2. Bates Was a Special Education Teacher at Madison County High School

Facebook/Lyndsey Sherrod BatesBates pictured with her husband, Drew.

Bates was an inclusion and resource teacher at the school in addition to coaching junior varsity and varsity volleyball. According to Bates’ Facebook page, the teacher is from Athens, Alabama, around 40 miles west of Madison County. Bates’ mother is active in the Madison Church of Christ. Bates graduated from Athens Bible School in 2015 and from Auburn University in 2018. Bates’ major was collaborative special education.

3. Bates Was Married in May 2018; Her Husband Also Works in Law Enforcement

Lyndsey Sherrod Bates married Drew Bates on May 10, 2018, in Athens. Drew Bates’ father is Stacy Bates. Drew also works in law enforcement. His father has been the chief deputy since January 2019, according to his official profile and was formerly a police officer with the Athens Police Department and a lieutenant with Huntsville Police Department.

4. It’s Texas that Leads the Way in Prosecuting Teachers Accused of Abusing Students

In November 2016, Texas State Representative Tony Dale sought to pass legislation that would prevent, as Dale says, teachers merely resigning and moving. Dale said of his legislation, “HB 218 increases penalties and close loopholes that allow educators who engage in inappropriate relationships to resign and obtain employment in another district. This bill seeks to allow Texas the tools we need to get rid of teachers who prey on our children.”

5.Female Educators Make Up a Small Fraction Teacher/Student Sexual Assault Convictions

Slate reported that female educators make up 4 percent of convicted rapists in teacher/student sexual assault cases in 2006. While in 2016, former Department of Education chief of staff, Terry Abbott, wrote in the Washington Post that teacher/student sexual assault cases were on the rise. For example, in Kentucky in 2011, the state saw the number of such cases nearly double.

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