Perryton ISD SHAC plans off‑campus sessions, small-group outreach to address teen dating violence and consent

At a meeting of the Perryton ISD Student Health Advisory Council, members and community partners discussed plans to address teen dating violence and consent during February's awareness activities and outlined a preference for off'campus sessions and small group work because of funding and confidentiality limits.

Council members said they want to hold a panel or Q&A for students during Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and to include a range of adult perspectives, including men, divorced and single adults, and people with varied life experiences. "I'd like to have, you know, someone that's divorced or someone that's single, someone that's, you know, a real wide variety," said Brandy Cunningham, the high school counselor.

Why it matters: Council members described patterns of stalking, harassment and boundary violations among local students and said early, practical education about consent and healthy relationships could prevent escalation to physical violence. Members also stressed that some students do not recognize abusive behaviors because they were raised in environments where such behavior was normalized.

Discussion and constraints Council members and partners described two practical constraints. First, the Panhandle Crisis Center and other groups that receive Office of the Attorney General (OAG) funding or Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) support said they are not permitted, under the terms of certain funding streams, to deliver programming that directly addresses sexual assault or domestic violence on school campuses. Samantha Gonzalez, a parent and the program director for Panhandle Crisis Center, said the agency is funded by HHSC and must therefore provide domestic violence programming off campus. "We are funded by HHSC also. So anything domestic violence, bullying, self esteem, stuff like that, we can't come on to the campuses for. It's just anything talking directly about sexual assault," Gonzalez said.

Second, staff and parents raised logistical challenges: permission forms often do not return, and organizers prefer digital permission (ParentSquare or Google forms) but acknowledged variable uptake. The council discussed holding sessions at nearby churches, a community boardroom, or other off'campus venues where students could be brought with parental permission. One member said her husband, who serves as chief of police, offered to speak to male student groups.

Program design Members favored a layered approach: a larger presentation for awareness followed by smaller breakout groups for discussion and role play. "An assembly would be great, but split it into smaller groups for, like, discussion," said a member during the discussion. Council members recommended targeting freshman boys and girls for small-group sessions and working with athletic teams (basketball, football) where adult coaches could help with attendance and logistics.

Content priorities included definitions of boundaries, examples of nonconsensual behavior, and an emphasis that consent must be enthusiastic. "Consent has to be enthusiastic or it's not consent," said Brandy Cunningham, the high school counselor.

Confidentiality and referral options Speakers reminded the council that hotline and crisis services can provide anonymous referrals and support. The Panhandle Crisis Center and other partners can offer referrals and follow-up even when a caller chooses to remain anonymous, but HHSC confidentiality rules limit what agency staff can do without further verification. Council members also noted the need for planning materials and short instructional videos for classroom or advisory use.

Next steps and meeting schedule The council agreed to continue planning logistics and to reconvene in late March to report back on February activities. Members set March 27 at 5:30 p.m. as the next SHAC meeting date to review outcomes and finalize plans for small-group sessions and off'campus events.

No formal votes were taken at the meeting; the discussion produced planning directions and a tentative next meeting date.