Reports of online predators are on the rise, but parents still hold the key to their children’s safety in the digital realm.
That message was delivered by Homeland Security Special Agent Tory Torres, a member of the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force, during a special school safety forum hosted by the Orange County Board of Education.
Along with understanding predatory tactics, Torres encouraged families to initiate age-appropriate conversations with their children, maintain an ongoing dialogue about the latest digital platforms, and set firm ground rules. These include never chatting online with people you haven’t met in real life, making sure all apps are parent-approved (after a two-week trial period), not sharing inappropriate images and not letting children use their smartphones behind closed doors.
“Educating the community is one of my favorite parts of my job because I truly feel like the more educating we do, the fewer victims we have coming to report things to our task force,” she said.
Education and awareness were the primary objectives of the County Board of Education’s “Savvy Safety in Public Schools Forum,” which took place in the Board Room at OCDE’s administrative offices in Costa Mesa on Sept. 20. The two-hour meeting aimed to shed light on pressing safety concerns facing schools, families and communities, with topics such as fentanyl awareness, sexual assault prevention, human trafficking, online threats and social media risks.
Orange County Board of Education Vice President Dr. Lisa Sparks served as moderator of the event, which featured the following presenters:
- Tory Torres, Special Agent, Homeland Security Investigations, Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force
- Sgt. Brian Gunsolley, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Public Affairs and Community Engagement Division
- Matt Friedman, Avertere Co-founder and CEO
- Jack Britton, Avertere Co-founder and CTO/CISO
- State Assemblyman Bill Essayli, 63rd Assembly District
- Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Orange County Board of Supervisors, Area 3
- Brenda Lebsack, Educator and Advocate
- Toni McKinley, Executive Director, Magdalene House of Austin, Texas
“We all, obviously, have a shared interest in ensuring our school communities are safe, that students feel safe, that parents feel safe,” Sparks said, “and we are committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners, our school districts and families to enhance public safety in our schools from every angle possible. And I think that was very evident tonight.”
For those who were unable to watch live, the Savvy Safety in Public Schools Forum has been posted in its entirety on YouTube.
About the OC Board of Education
The Orange County Board of Education is made up of five elected officials who each serve four-year terms. Per the board’s website, its responsibilities include:
- Approving the annual budget of the Orange County Department of Education
- Receiving the annual audit of the Orange County Department of Education
- Maintaining an awareness of the operations and financial conditions of the school districts in the county
- Approving the purchase of property for department programs
- Serving as Orange County’s appeal board for the adjudication of expulsion appeals and inter-district attendance appeals
- Representing Orange County’s education community and families at the local, county, state and national levels
- Informing local communities about the programs and achievements of the Orange County Department of Education