Keeping students safe in school requires more than rules and security systems. It calls for awareness, communication and an understanding of the risks they may face.
In a back-to-school town hall meeting titled “Keeping Our Children Safe from Sexual Predators,” Dr. Nissi Hamilton, an expert in the field of human trafficking, and Amanda Kemp, a health and wellness professional, shared insights into preventing sexual exploitation and guarding personal information.
What led to this conversation?
The conversation was fueled by a recent investigation by the Houston Landing into a Houston ISD incident. The report confirmed that a Worthing High School wraparound coordinator, Lloyd Ford, sent a Snapchat video to an 18-year-old student in which he appeared to be masturbating and allegedly solicited the student for sex. The district substantiated the allegation within three months and terminated his employment.
Ford is now listed on the Texas Education Agency’s “Do Not Hire” registry, preventing him from future employment in public schools. He denies all allegations. HISD did not inform students, staff or parents at Worthing High about the findings. Community awareness has been fueled by rumors rather than clear communication and some former staff members expressed concern over the silence.
Advocates and experts argue that while privacy and due process are important, the lack of transparency can erode trust and deter potential additional victims from coming forward. HISD defended the decision not to notify the broader school community as a measure to protect the victim’s privacy, especially since no criminal charges were filed.
Know Your School’s Policies
Hamilton and Kemp stressed that students and parents should be familiar with school district policies on sexual assault, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Many people only learn the procedures after an incident occurs, but understanding them beforehand can make a difference in how quickly and effectively a situation is addressed.
Students should know who to contact if they experience or witness inappropriate behavior and what role, if any, law enforcement plays in the school’s response.
Understand grooming and its warning signs
Speakers described grooming as the process by which predators gain the trust of a child before exploiting them. Students are urged not to trust every adult or peer with intimate personal information and to be cautious, Hamilton explained. Recognizing these patterns early and seeking help from a trusted adult is critical.
“Don’t trust any adult. You gotta get through school. You need to be able to make connections…but everybody is not a safe person and everybody is not the person that you can tell all of your most intimate problems with.”
Dr. Nissi Hamilton
“Don’t trust any adult,” she added. “You gotta get through school. You need to be able to make connections…but everybody is not a safe person and everybody is not the person that you can tell all of your most intimate problems with.”
She further urged parents not to introduce partners to their children unless they trust them completely.
Protect your personal information
The conversations also revealed a lesser-known vulnerability: The “student directory information” form that many parents sign at enrollment, which contains a student’s personal information, is vulnerable to requests under the Texas Public Information Act. Students and parents should review these forms carefully and consider opting out to limit access to personal details.
Once released, this information could be misused by those seeking to contact or target a student.
“With that Freedom of Information Act, anybody can file…on any student that’s in school in the state of Texas, as long as the parent checks the box that their student’s information could be used as far as their picture, phone number, or anything,” Hamilton said. “Most parents check the box because they think that the picture that they’re talking about is the picture for the Yearbook or something.”
Build a trusted support network
Both Hamilton and Kemp emphasized the importance of children having multiple trusted adults in their lives, not just their parents. This could include relatives, godparents or close family friends whom the student can turn to if they feel uncomfortable discussing something at home. Students should know exactly who these people are and parents should ensure these individuals can be relied upon to act in the child’s best interest.
Speak up, even when it’s difficult
When a student feels unsafe, speaking up can be intimidating, especially if the offender is someone in authority. Advocates noted that a student’s voice is often essential for establishing the legitimacy of a complaint. Schools should have clear avenues for reporting concerns and should educate both students and parents about how to use them.
“Her voice gives legitimacy to the actual crime,” Hamilton said. “We overcome the enemy, how? By the power of testimony…91% of the men who actually abuse children don’t even see the inside of the prison…the problem we’re seeing with the legal ramifications is that there’s nobody going to jail for grooming.”
If a student is not ready to speak to school staff, they might confide in a counselor, parent or advocate. Journaling was also suggested as a first step for those who find it difficult to express their experiences out loud.
Community healing
Kemp repeatedly pointed to the role of the broader community in protecting students. When parents, educators and neighbors are informed and involved, they are better positioned to notice red flags and intervene. This includes supporting survivors, addressing harmful behaviors and fostering an environment where young people feel safe coming forward.
Know the laws
One challenge identified in the discussions was that students and sometimes parents are unaware of the laws that govern their safety. The age of consent, definitions of a “child” in different legal codes and rules about relationships between students and school employees vary by jurisdiction. Students should understand that even if they are legally 18, certain relationships, such as sexual contact between a student and a school employee, may still be felonies.
