The Fairfax County School Board named January as human trafficking awareness month at the most recent meeting. To mark the event, it announced the resolution to fight human trafficking and commended the organization “JustAsk VA” in its efforts to solve the issue.
The board especially thanked students who had started anti-trafficking clubs in Fairfax County schools. Members of Spartans Against Human Trafficking (SAHT) were there, along with other schools’ representatives, to receive recognition.
“It was encouraging to know that we have support from the school board,” said senior Elissa Perdue, co-president of SAHT.
The students leading the clubs are sponsored by JustAsk, and were all praised for their work.
The Fairfax County resolution included acknowledging the victims of trafficking at all FCPS schools. The board promised to fight the issue through the support of the local clubs and the inclusion of sex trafficking information in health class in order to stop trafficking in Fairfax County.
School board member Ryan McElveen, who attended the resolution, has a special interest in the issue because a founding member of SAHT approached him at a school board meeting years ago and made him aware of her cause. McElveen made closing remarks about how Fairfax County was one of the first counties to include sex trafficking in its health curriculum. After the resolution was read, the students made their way to the front of the room for a photo with the members of the board.
“It was cool to see solidarity in the movement from the county about such an important issue,” said senior Caroline Tyler.