Bringing Public Education Into the Fold of Human Trafficking Policy: A Feminist Critical Policy Analysis of Landmark Texas Legislation

• In Event: 35.041 - Social Justice and the Womanist Praxis

Abstract

The 83rd Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1272 mandating the development of human trafficking curriculum and training for K-12 educators. This legislation is landmark in that Texas is one of few states aiming to bring educators in fold of the identification and prevention of labor trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of minors – the latter of whom are predominantly female. Part of a larger study, this research utilizes feminist critical policy analysis and 9 in-depth interviews to analyze the HB 1272 history, context, and discourses. Aligned with the AERA Conference theme, this study brings attention to a justice issue that educational policy research has been silent on, while simultaneously examining policy that will impact “marginalized, dispossessed, and excluded” youth.

Author

• Melinda Anne Lemke, Swansea University