Protect Our Children Project

Backed by United States Attorney Leigha Simonton, the top federal law enforcement officer in North Texas, the "Protect Our Children Project" is designed to bring federal law enforcement resources to bear on the issues schools and parents care about most, from curbing student fentanyl use to preventing mass violence. 

U.S. Attorney Simonton launched the project in the spring of 2023 with a series of exploratory webinars seeking insight from superintendents and school administrators. The initial webinar presentation – which includes insight from federally-funded research and helpful tips for educators and parents – is posted below.

The first webinar in the fall 2023 series, "Fentanyl Prevention for Educators," was held on Monday, July 31 @ 10 a.m. with a repeat session on Wednesday, Aug. 9 @ 2 p.m. You can watch a recorded version here. 

The dates of the second webinar in the fall series, "School Violence Prevention for Educators," are pending. Educators may indicate their interest and sign up for updates here. 

As they work to address these critical threats, schools may avail themselves of the following resources:

Fentanyl:  

• DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” campaign includes sobering statistics and a social media toolkit. You should feel free to share OPCK images, videos, and fact sheets with school staff, parents, and students. (Note: Many of these materials are available in Spanish as well as English.)
   
• The Ad Council’s “Real Deal on Fentanyl” campaign also provides graphics for use on social media. Some of the most helpful infographics outline what to do in case of an overdose.
   
• "Just Think Twice" gives students struggling to resist peer pressure a list of ways to say no to offers of drugs. 
   
• "Operation Prevention" offers a parent toolkit with suggestions for parents on fostering open communication about drugs. It also addresses fentanyl myths and facts. 
   
• "Get Smart About Drugs" produced a fentanyl PSA that can be played at school assemblies or in health class. 
• This surveillance footage shows an actual teenager suffering an actual fentanyl overdose in the parking lot of a Texas public school. (WARNING: Some may find this content upsetting.)
   
• This home security footage, shared by a mother hoping to spread awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, shows a Texas woman discovering her 14-year-old son's lifeless body in her home following a fatal overdose. (WARNING: Some may find this content upsetting.) 
   

School Violence:

• Texas DPS’s iWatch school safety tool is an excellent resource for reporting concerning behavior in or about schools. Districts should consider sharing this link on their websites or social media pages. The tool is free to all and allows anonymous reporting. You can read more about the tool here.  
   
• The U.S. Secret Service’s report, “Protecting America’s Schools,” outlines red flag behaviors common among school shooters.
   
• The FBI’s “Run. Hide. Fight.” campaign details how students and educators should act if the unthinkable happens at your school.  
   
• SchoolSafety.gov was created by the federal government to provide schools with actionable recommendations to create safe and supportive learning environments for students and educators.
   

If you are a school administrator, teacher, counselor, coach, or other staff member and need assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, please reach out to us at USATXN.Education@usdoj.gov.