Require All Health Classes in Minnesota Public Middle and High Schools to Include a Human Trafficking Awareness Course

 

To prevent the crime of human trafficking in the state of Minnesota by raising awareness in middle and high school-aged

youth about the issue and how to stay safe from it.

 

Human trafficking is a dangerous and prevalent issue across the country, and this is true for the state of Minnesota as

well. Just in 2015, Minnesota human trafficking cases ranked as the third highest in the country. Human trafficking is a

destructive criminal enterprise that, globally, raises over $150 billion annually. Additionally, this crime has

detrimental and long-lasting effects on victims. Victims of human trafficking include individuals across wide

demographic ranges. Many of these victims are the youth of our state; according to the Minnesota Attorney General’s

office, 40% of sex trafficking cases involve minors. Understanding this information and the risks or warning signs of

human trafficking can aid in the elimination of the issue, including among the youth of Minnesota. In fact, safe school

environments that discuss and foster learning about safe and healthy relationships are not only crucial to student

well-being, but to preventing the crime of human trafficking. Human trafficking–both labor and sex trafficking–is a huge

issue in the state, and raising awareness by providing (age-appropriate) knowledge about the topic can be an impactful

method of prevention. The Minneapolis city website states, “Sex trafficking thrives in silence.” By requiring the

Minnesota Department of Education to include a course to raise awareness about human trafficking within Minnesota public

middle and high school health class standards, schools have the opportunity to prevent a crime that has been harming its

victims for far too long.

 

Human Trafficking: The use of “force, fraud, or coercion” to illegally gain labor or sexual acts–including commercial

sex–from another person. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

Public Middle and High Schools: schools funded and/or run (in any capacity) by the government that include the grades

6-12 (six through twelve).

 

The state of Minnesota would levy a 0.05% income tax increase. According to data collected from this year’s income

reports, that would be approximately $200,000,000 (two hundred million dollars) annually to be used by the Minnesota

Department of Education to implement this bill.

 

Each public middle and high school (in the state of Minnesota) must submit its health class curriculum to the Minnesota

Department of Education, where it will be reviewed for inclusion of required human trafficking awareness materials.

Should the curriculum not include the human trafficking awareness course, the school will have the opportunity to

resubmit the proper curriculum until the start date of their school year (beginning on or after the effective date). If,

at that point, the school fails to include the proper course requirements in the health curriculum, the school will

incur a fine of $100 (one hundred dollars) per month until the curriculum is properly adjusted.

 

 

September 1st, 2027