Kern County speakers urge schools to expand human-trafficking education; county office to coordinate trainings

Speakers at the Kern County Board of Education meeting on Feb. 18 urged the county and local school districts to expand student-facing human-trafficking education and sextortion prevention after presentations from survivors, law enforcement and anti-trafficking advocates.

The presentations, organized by local volunteers and the Kern County Coalition Against Human Trafficking (KCAT), detailed how traffickers recruit and exploit children, highlighted rising online threats and called for countywide training for students, parents and school staff. Presenters asked the Kern County Office of Education to act as a coordinating hub for trainings and resources.

The board heard from Sergeant Dustin Gutierrez, co‑director of the Kern County Coalition Against Human Trafficking, who reviewed local trends and said California remains the state with the highest trafficking activity. “Unfortunately, he is correct. We have always been the leader in human trafficking,” Gutierrez said, citing Kern County’s role as a corridor for traffickers in part because of transportation routes.

Survivor and Kern High School District counselor Odessa Perkins told the board she was trafficked as a child and said online grooming and sextortion are acute local problems. “One in three girls is trafficked. One in six boys is trafficked. Every 30 seconds, there is a trafficking victim,” Perkins said, describing how quickly predators find and exploit children online.

Dr. Angela Look, a Cal State Bakersfield professor and KCAT steering committee member, emphasized age patterns and risk factors. “The average age of entry into this world is 12 to 14 years old,” Look said, adding that youth in foster care, homeless students and those who run away face particular vulnerability.

Trustee James Robinson, who invited the presenters, and Superintendent Dr. Mindbrough discussed practical next steps. Dr. Mindbrough told presenters the county office could serve as a hub for coordinating training and outreach, and that the county would invite the presenters to the next superintendent meeting so districts could hear directly from KCAT and partners.

Local partners committed to concrete follow-ups: Steve Sanders of the Kern County Network for Children said his organization will host a training for service providers and nonprofits on Feb. 18 (registration to be circulated). An FBI victim‑services representative told the board a sextortion presentation would be available to any county school starting in March. Board members also discussed ways to raise awareness and funding for community nonprofits that fill service gaps for trafficking victims.

Presenters and board members named existing resources and efforts already working locally, including KCAT (a donation‑funded nonprofit), Kern County Network for Children, the FBI’s victim services, and screening and prevention programs run by schools and community groups. Presenters said some California laws and local initiatives (referenced in testimony as “SB 14,” “SB 14 14” and “AB 12 27”) have informed their outreach work; the board did not make new legislative findings at the meeting.

Board members asked questions about implementation: whether trainings would be presented to students or only staff, parental involvement and legal/liability concerns in classroom programming. Odessa Perkins said schools have sometimes limited in‑school training because administrators fear parental backlash, while presenters urged direct, age‑appropriate lessons for students alongside staff training and parent outreach.

Multiple presenters and trustees suggested the county office could begin with staff and parent trainings, then expand to student sessions that are crafted to be age appropriate and trauma informed. The board did not take a formal vote; instead trustees and staff agreed to pursue coordination steps, share training schedules and connect KCAT and other presenters with district superintendents and local partners.

The discussion closed with a pledge by county staff to follow up: Kern County Office of Education staff said they would circulate training dates and work with superintendents to pilot in‑district events, and local nonprofit partners said they would supply materials and possible presenters for schools and parent nights.

Board members and presenters emphasized the need for multi‑partner responses — prevention education for children, training for staff and parents, and community support services for identified victims — and asked district leaders to treat human‑trafficking awareness as an educational and child‑safety priority.

Ending: Trustees thanked presenters for sharing survivor testimony and practical resources; county staff said they would return with a schedule of trainings and next steps at a future superintendent meeting so districts can decide how to adopt age‑appropriate prevention programs.