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Upon completion of my Masters of Education in School Guidance and Counseling, my goal is to work as a school counselor. Ultimately, I see myself working as an Elementary or Junior High School Counselor.

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Exploration Option 1 - Issues According to a Current School Counselor

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Exploration Option 1 - Issues According to a Current School Counselor

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I interviewed Ms. Chelsea Bohannon, who is a counselor at Frenship Middle School.

1. The main legal requirements and/or compliance issues she deals with on a daily or weekly basis centers around reporting child abuse/neglect, confidentiality of information she receives from a student, staff member or parent, and contacting parents or guardians if their child is showing signs of self-harm, suicidal ideation or if the child is homicidal.

2. The most recent policy updates within the last year is the suicide protocol. The district now has paperwork to go through with the student and parent to provide the best possible assistance.

3. One avenue to handle bullying is on the district website. Parents can complete forms and the district has 10 days to investigate. Many times, these issues are resolved between the principal and parents.

4. As a counselor, student confidentiality is a right. The only time a counselor is required to contact parents or guardians: 1. if a student is hurting or planning to hurt themselves. 2. If the student is planning to hurt someone else. 3. If someone is hurting that student (child abuse).

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Exploration Option 2 - National Education Association (NEA)

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Exploration Option 2 - National Education Association (NEA)

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The National Education Association's website is filled with a plethora of information. There is a great deal of information in regards to human trafficking. Many human trafficking victims are found in schools. Within the website is information, campaigns, and training for schools in regards to human trafficking.
In addition, I found information which addresses state and national mandates for schools to help them address issues of bullying and school safety. Again, there are free trainings and tool kits available for schools to use.

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STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING
To report suspected human trafficking:
1-866-347-2423
or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.
To get help from the
National Human Trafficking Hotline:
1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign:
The Blue Campaign is the unified voice for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) efforts to combat human trafficking. The campaign works in collaboration with law enforcement, government, non-governmental and private organizations to combat human trafficking.

Human Trafficking 101 for School Administrators and Staff (PDF)
The information on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' factsheet help school administrators and staff recognize indicators relevant to a potential human trafficking situation, and take appropriate action.

Human Trafficking in America's Schools
The guide helps school officials understand how human trafficking impacts schools, recognize the indicators of possible child trafficking, as well as develop policies, protocols and partnerships to address and prevent the exploitation of children.

Human Trafficking Awareness Training
Human trafficking awareness videos by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign are designed to spread awareness of the signs and indicators of human trafficking.

15 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking
Here are a few ideas that you can implement to assist with bringing an end to human trafficking.

CNN Freedom Project
This CNN special project shares the voices of the victims, highlights success stories, and offers the ways you can help end modern-day slavery locally and globally.

Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (PDF)
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2016 report provides a global overview of the patterns and flows of trafficking in persons, and the status of country-level legislation and the criminal justice response to the trafficking crime. The report also presents an analysis of trafficking in persons in the broader perspective of migration and conflict, and contains in-depth analyses by region.

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Learn More about the Human Trafficking Issue and Get Involved

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STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING To report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423 or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips. To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign: The Blue Campaign is the unified voice for the U.S.

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Exploration Option 2 - Texas Education Association (TEA)

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Exploration Option 2 - Texas Education Association (TEA)

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The TEA website has information which pertains to all aspects of education in Texas. Not only does it provide information on things such as teacher certification and student assessment, but it also has guidelines on human trafficking and child abuse.
Additionally, the website provides information, tool kits and guidelines for safe schools within the state of Texas. There are examples provided and links connecting the Texas Education Code and laws with these as well.

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Human trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transporting, or procurement of a person for labor or services for the purpose of involuntary servitude, slavery, or forced commercial sex acts. While human trafficking is a global problem, it is also a Texas problem. School-aged children are vulnerable to the manipulation and exploitation tactics of traffickers. Unfortunately, law enforcement has confirmed cases of trafficking occurring on school grounds, at school events, and even carried out by classmates.

Traffickers are brutal, and victims are often subjected to serious, life-altering manipulation, and control through the use of threats of violence, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and withholding of basic necessities. Many children do continue to attend school while being trafficked, and as such, are in contact with school personnel on a regular basis. This means that because of your role as an education professional, you may be in a position to identify and report human trafficking, thus facilitating the child's rescue by law enforcement.

A Form of Abuse

Human trafficking is defined as a form of abuse or neglect under Texas Family Code, Section 261.001. All individuals have a duty to immediately report suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), but Texas Family Code, Section 261.101, requires education professionals to do so within 48 hours of suspecting the abuse or neglect. As a school employee, your training on abuse and neglect provide a foundation for you to recognize and report suspected human trafficking.

83rd Texas Legislature

Recognizing the seriousness of the crime, its effects on victims, families, and communities, and the unique position of educators in the lives of children, the 83rd Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1272. This law requires the Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force (Task Force) to work with TEA to develop a list of key indicators that a person is a victim of human trafficking, develop a standardized curriculum and train school personnel to identify and assist victims of human trafficking.

Texas RISE to the Challenge

Pursuant to the legislation, the Task Force, in cooperation with TEA, has developed a training to meet the requirements of HB 1272. The training, Introduction to Human Trafficking for Education Professionals: Texas RISE to the Challenge, asks Texas education professionals to RISE to the Challenge in addressing human trafficking.

The Texas RISE to the Challenge training will provide school personnel with the tools needed to become familiar with trafficking, trafficker tactics, risk factors of children, indicators of trafficking, what to do when a child reports possible trafficking, and what steps to take if you suspect trafficking.

This training will empower education professionals to:

Recognize risk factors and indicators related to human trafficking and

Identify potential human trafficking victims and report as legally required.

It will also provide a foundation to:

Share knowledge with colleagues, parents, and community members, and

Engage in local prevention efforts.

Training and Resources

Below is the Texas RISE to the Challenge training. Also included is a human trafficking manual for school personnel developed by the Task Force. Additional resources may be available in your area.

1) Introduction to Human Trafficking for Education Professionals: Texas RISE to the Challenge (PDF, 2193 KB)

2) Introduction to Human Trafficking: A Guide for Texas Education Professionals (outside source)

3) Human Trafficking Power and Control Wheel (outside source)

Human Trafficking in America's Schools - Released by the U.S. Department of Education, this guide helps school officials: understand how human trafficking impacts schools, recognize the indicators of possible child trafficking, and develop policies, protocols, and partnerships to address and prevent the exploitation of children.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children's and Families, Children's Bureau:

Sex Trafficking in Schools - https://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm?event=website.viewArticles&issueid=166&articleid=4465

Reporting

Identification of possible human trafficking is important, but subsequent reporting is crucial. If you suspect a child is a victim of human trafficking, please contact:

911 in case of emergency

Local law enforcement, or

DFPS at 1 (800)-252-5400

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Human Trafficking of School-aged Children

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Human trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transporting, or procurement of a person for labor or services for the purpose of involuntary servitude, slavery, or forced commercial sex acts. While human trafficking is a global problem, it is also a Texas problem. School-aged children are vulnerable to the manipulation and exploitation tactics of traffickers.

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Those who have been a victim of human trafficking and survived have endured horrifying physical and emotional abuse, and trauma. Once rescued, what are their long term needs? What type of services are available for them? Ultimately, the goal, as educators, what can educators do to recognize the signs and prevent students from becoming a victim?

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Human trafficking is no longer an unknown term. According to the Attorney General's office, over 79,000 are being trafficked per day in Texas. With the continual use of social media platforms, students may be involved in trafficking and in school attendance. This has become such a burden that tasks forces have been set up by the governor's office to try to counter the increase in human trafficking. As educators, it is our ethical responsibility to learn the signs and help identify students in order to save or even rescue them from this type of situation. In addition, human trafficking falls under child abuse in which teachers to take action upon suspect. There are programs, tool kits, downloads and multiple resources available to equip educators to recognize and handle these situations.
Examples are not hard to find. One comes from Irving, Texas, where a teenager was charged with human trafficking and prostitution after police discovered that he had drugged a fellow classmate, and held her for three days while he sold her to several men for money and drugs in exchange for sex. (Whitley, 2013) Again,  when students are absent multiple days, what are our responsibilities? If we suspect something else going on, what do we do?  We are advocates. Now is the time to do just that.

Whitley, J. (2013). Irving Student arrested on Human Trafficking Charge. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/Irving-student-arrested-on-human-trafficking-charge-207445901.html.

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I am most interested is trauma and its impact on students. In fact, I am highly interested in the trauma-informed classroom. However, trauma is a broad topic which encompasses issues ranging from abuse and disaster to divorce. That being said, I decided to narrow the focus down to the legal requirements for schools in regards to human trafficking.
The number of victims being trafficked per day according to the Attorney General's office is 79,000 (Paxton, 2019). Human trafficking is moving within our schools, it is now apparent teachers must recognize signs in order to help these children.

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Human Trafficking | Office of the Attorney General

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Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It is the exploitation of men, women, and children for forced labor or sex by a third-party for profit or gain. Texas is on the forefront of combating this hideous crime.

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Busch-Armendariz, Noel B.; Nsonwu, Maura B.; and Cook Heffron, Laurie (2011) "Human Trafficking Victims and Their Children:
Assessing Needs, Vulnerabilities, Strengths, and Survivorship," Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at
Risk: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/childrenatrisk/vol2/iss1/3

National Education Association.  (2019). Learn more about the human trafficking issue and get involved.
Retrieved from:

http://www.nea.org/home/72043.htm

Texas Education Association. (2019).
Human trafficking of school-aged children. Retrieved from:
https://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Other_Services/Human_Trafficking_of_School-aged_Children/

Texas School Safety Center. (2019).
Recognizing the signs of human
trafficking in schools. Retrieved
from: https://txssc.txstate.edu/topics/scho  ol-violence/articles/recognizing- human-trafficking

Whitley, J. (2013). Irving Student    arrested on Human Trafficking Charge. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/Irving-student-arrested-on-human-trafficking-charge-207445901.html.

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Web Research - Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC)

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Web Research - Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC)

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As I researched human trafficking specifically related to students in Texas, I located the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC). "The TxSSC serves as a clearinghouse for the dissemination of safety and security information through research, training, and technical assistance for K-12 schools and junior colleges throughout the state of Texas"(Texas School Safety Center, 2019).
TxSSC provides resources and training for districts throughout the state of Texas. Human trafficking is no longer considered something that happens in dark alleys or dirty motels, but has moved onto Texas school campuses.

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Recognizing the Signs of Human Trafficking in Schools: A Guide for Texas Educators | Texas School Safety Center

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In Irving, Texas, a teenager was charged with human trafficking and prostitution after police discovered that he had drugged a fellow classmate, and held her for three days while he sold her to several men for money and drugs in exchange for sex