The following was hand delivered to Shelby County Public Schools by Amanda Lamping on December 4, 2025.

December 4, 2025

Members of the Shelby County School Board,

My name is Amanda (Zepeda) Lamping and I am a graduate of the Martha Layne Collins class of 2014. I am writing to share my personal perspective and first-hand experiences regarding concerns about Christopher (Chris) Gaither and his relationship with my best friend, Hayley (Murphy) Weddle, which began during her junior year of high school. I believe it is important for the board to hear directly from individuals who observed the situation at the time and who were close to Hayley throughout those years.

Hayley and I have known each other since 5th grade, which was when I moved to Shelby County. We became especially close during our senior year when we were paired together to teach health classes at West Middle and have remained best friends ever since. Because of this, I had direct awareness of the communication and dynamic between Hayley and Mr. Gaither while we were still in high school and as she transitioned into college.

During our Senior year of high school, I personally saw messages between them—texts and Snapchats—that, from my perspective, were consistently flirty and inappropriate for a teacher-student relationship. At the time, we were both too young to fully understand the seriousness of what we were seeing, but looking back as adults, it is clear to me that the relationship crossed boundaries that should never exist between an educator and a student.

After graduation, Hayley confided in me and disclosed that the relationship had become physical. I was told by Hayley that she had sex with Mr. Gaither two weeks after our graduation while his wife was out of town on a mission trip. I also witnessed continued communication from Mr. Gaither into her college years, including messages in which he asked her whether she had ever told anyone about what happened. Those conversations raised even more concern for me about the nature of the relationship and the power dynamics involved.

Over the years, I have continuously heard rumors about similar behavior involving him and other young women. While I cannot verify those accounts myself, the consistency of the stories contributed to my growing concern. These rumors were always along the lines of Mr. Gaither following female students on social media and messaging them as he did Hayley.

Based on what I personally saw and what Hayley directly told me, it is my belief that Mr. Gaither engaged in deeply inappropriate behavior with her while he was in a position of authority and responsibility as her educator. In my view, the communication and attention he directed toward her throughout high school laid the groundwork for a relationship that should never have occurred, regardless of whether physical contact happened until after graduation. Mr. Gaither groomed Hayley for two years and took advantage of her trust in him as an educator and coach.

My purpose in submitting this statement is to express my concern for the safety and wellbeing of current and future students. In my opinion, Mr. Gaither should not be in a position within the school system where he has access to or authority over minors. I am sharing this information because I believe it is important for the board to be fully aware of the experiences and perspectives of those who were closest to the situation at the time.

Thank you for taking the time to read my statement and consider my perspective. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Amanda Lamping