New curriculum trains teachers and students in identifying signs of human trafficking

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The state is stepping up its efforts to keep children from being exploited for labor or sex by requiring California classrooms to include human trafficking prevention education as part of sex education.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the implementation of Assembly Bill 1227, Wednesday morning in Sacramento.

"It's about preventing this and partnering together to make sure we prevent this from happening to any child because every child is our child," said Becerra.

Signed into law in October, California is the first state to adopt human trafficking prevention education and training for teachers and students. It must occur at least once in middle school and once in high school.

"California should be able to say no young person in our state deserves to have his or her childhood ripped away from them," said Becerra.

Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Jim Yovino fully supports the state. His office has already partnered with the district attorney's office on this.

"Lisa Smittcamp Fresno County DA and my office have been working on this and we're going to be engaging in some more conversations in the next couple of weeks so we can partner with to develop a curriculum to put together to get to my superintendents and school boards across Fresno County," said Yovino.

Yovino acknowledges the topic might be delicate for some families but says this new curriculum is just another layer of protection designed to keep children safe.

"Anytime you can get information in parent's hands and in our teacher's hands signs to look for our students are aware of it. We're doing the right thing and we're going to support doing that," said Yovino.