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Tennessee teachers to get training in spotting signs of human trafficking among students

Staff file photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 9/20/16. Rep. Mike Carter speaks during the Education Mini-Summit 2016 at the Volkswagen Conference Center where Tennessee legislators from Hamilton County and local education officials discussed the county's public school system problems.
Staff file photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 9/20/16. Rep. Mike Carter speaks during the Education Mini-Summit 2016 at the Volkswagen Conference Center where Tennessee legislators from Hamilton County and local education officials discussed the county's public school system problems. Staff file photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 9/20/16. Rep. Mike Carter speaks during the Education Mini-Summit 2016 at the Volkswagen Conference Center where Tennessee legislators from Hamilton County and local education officials discussed the county's public school system problems.

By Andy Sher 2 min read

photo Mike Carter – 29th District

NASHVILLE – Tennessee officials are implementing new training and curriculum this year for public schools to recognize signs of human trafficking among students under legislation signed into law in May by Gov. Bill Lee.

“According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, human trafficking is the second-fastest growing criminal industry, just behind drug trafficking,” said Jennifer Brinkman, director of the state Finance Department’s Office of Criminal Justice Programs.

Co-sponsored in the House by Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, the law requires public schools and teachers get up to speed on how to spot signs of human trafficking involving children and what steps to take. Trafficking means using force, fraud or coercion to exploit someone for sex or labor.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize the extent that human trafficking occurs,” said Carter, a former judge.

Public Chapter 269 requires the family life curriculum used in public schools to include instruction on the “detection, intervention, prevention and treatment of human trafficking in which the victim is a child.”