LOUDONVILLE — The Loudonville-Perrysville Exempted Village Schools board Monday approved the resignation of a teacher amid a district investigation of sexual harassment allegations under Title IX and Board policies.
The teacher, Alex Bates, was placed on administrative leave on April 14, 2023, according to a separation agreement and release that appeared on the school board’s agenda Monday. Bates is not currently listed on any school’s staff page.
(Below is a copy of the separation agreement and release.)
That document also stated that the Loudonville Police Department conducted an investigation, and closed it Jan. 12, 2024 without filing criminal charges.
(Below is a copy of a press release from the Loudonville Police Department regarding the investigation.)
The district, however, had “indicated its intent to continue its investigation,” the separation agreement and release stated.
“… in lieu of the School District continuing to investigate the allegations and the Superintendent potentially recommending to the Board that it take adverse employment action with respect to Mr. Alex Bates at the conclusion of the investigation, Mr. Alex Bates has offered to tender his letter of resignation from employment with the Board effective May 13, 2024…”
The separation agreement outlined Bates would not seek employment with the board or within the district. The board also dropped its investigation into Bates following his resignation, and will not take any disciplinary action against him.
The board approved Bates’ resignation at its Monday meeting in a 5-0 vote, according to Supt. Jennifer Allerding.
Ashland Source attempted to contact Bates, but could not find current contact information for him. He did submit a brief letter of resignation to the board.
(Below is a PDF of Alex Bates’s resignation letter.)
The allegations
According to the separation agreement, Bates exchanged 142,375 text messages with a student.
Texts were sent during school hours. On multiple days, Bates exchanged hundreds of messages with the student, the separation agreement stated.
The messages included statements the separation agreement called “concerning.” Several examples of the text messages were listed in the document. In some of the text messages, Bates professed his “love” to the student.
The texts also included “communications related to inappropriate conversations about other students, athletes, parents, fellow teachers, administrators, and Board members.”
District response
On Wednesday afternoon, the school district released a statement about the situation. That statement was part of the stipulations of the separation agreement the board approved on Monday.
(Below is the district’s statement.)
The separation agreement outlined that the parties — Bates and the board of education — would not make any further statements regarding his resignation, other than the released statement.
It also outlined the superintendent would field inquiries about Bates from future employers. The board also filed a report about his conduct with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
The district’s statement outlined Bates was placed on administrative leave in 2023 for allegations of misconduct, and resigned on May 13.
“When complaints of this nature are received, the District follows the procedures outlined in its Board of Education policies,” the statement read.
The statement also directed students and families to report “suspicious or concerning behavior.”
Inappropriate behavior can be reported to school administrators, counselors or to the Safer Ohio Tipline. The Safer Ohio Tipline offers an anonymous way to report concerns of school and student safety. It can be reached by calling or texting at 844-723-3764.
