By Rylie Barber

This article is the first in a series UHS News will be publishing examining sex trafficking in the Mendocino County region.

According to the California Department of Justice, “Human trafficking is among the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprises and is estimated to be a $150 billion-a-year global industry.” In addition, the International Labor Organization estimates that worldwide, there are, “4.8 million victims of sexual exploitation.” The statistics are disturbing. It begs the question of how close this horrific practice is to home? UHS News consulted Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall and Lieutenant Shannon Barney to find out more about the threat of sex trafficking in Mendocino County, who is most likely to become a victim, and what parents need to know to protect their children from this chilling fate. 

As stated in section 136.1 of the California Penal Code, “A person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to obtain forced labor or services, procure or sell the individual for commercial sex, or exploit the individual in obscene matter, is guilty of human trafficking.” 

When asked about his perception of local sex trafficking, Sheriff Kendall said, “I think that we have a lot of sex trafficking.” He went on to explain that “We have a lot of people who have been brought over the border by coyotes that are working for cartels.” 

Lieutenant Barney, when asked the same question, said, “It is not as prevalent here but with more and more drugs and drug gangs coming in, it will become worse.” He later elaborated on this point by saying, “As society degrades, these types of crimes become more prevalent.” 

According to David Spener’s Clandestine Crossings: Migrants and Coyotes on the Texas-Mexico Border, a coyote is a person who has been paid to illegally smuggle something over the border. 

Sheriff Kendall said, “We see a lot of people who are trafficked from foreign countries, and that includes China through the Port of Oakland, that includes Russia, and that includes Mexico.” 

Sheriff Kendall described a sex trafficking event that took place within the last few years: “[i]t is like a circuit where a lot of these prostitutes will work Sacramento all the way up Interstate Five. They come back and work down the 101 into the Bay Area.” Sheriff Kendall added that “There were several websites where sex trafficking was occurring.” 

99.4% of sex trafficking victims are young girls and women, as stated by the California Department of Justice. When asked if certain populations are more likely to be victimized by traffickers, Sheriff Kendall answered, “whether it be you’re a slave to drugs, you’re a slave to the cartels because of your transportation across the border, anything that makes you a slave makes people vulnerable for this.” 

Sheriff Kendall told a story to demonstrate the power of strength to overcome adversity: he recalled an article he had read about a mother who had lifted a car off of her child. It had run over and parked on the child. “The mother, who was a hundred and thirty pounds, lifted a vehicle off of her child. There is something that is so strong in the human psyche…Primal thinking is what keeps our species alive.” Sheriff Kendall worries that  “…drugs somehow destroy primal thought…When you see children who are abused, children who are neglected, 99% of the time, it is due to some kind of addiction.” Sheriff Kendall believes that an individual suffering from addiction is crippled by the need for drugs making them more likely to become a victim of trafficking. Furthermore, children of drug users are more likely to be trafficked due to the decline of primal parental instincts that often accompany heavy usage of drugs. 

According to Sheriff Kendall, “Anyone who enters the country illegally…could be trafficked.” This is due to their proximity to cartels at the border. 

Lieutenant Barney connected the majority of Mendocino County’s sex trafficking victims to the use of drugs. “Sex trafficking is a very serious crime with most victims around here being involved in marijuana and drug trades.” Lieutenant Barney notes, “It’s more prevalent in minority communities along the southern border and large cities, but no one is immune to it.” Lieutenant Barney also warned that “most are taken during illegal immigration” and that “some children have been kidnapped for and by criminal organizations.” 

Sheriff Kendall encourages parents to build strength and resilience in their children to defend against the potential of sex trafficking: “One of the things that we have not been doing a good job on in the United States is building resilient children.” He continued, stating that “[w]e have people saying that violence is not okay in any situation.” He explained that “I can name dozens of situations where if people hadn’t gotten violent, they would have been kidnapped. They would have been hurt. Violence in the defense of yourself or the defense of another is absolutely acceptable.” 

Sheriff Kendall argued Mendocino County residents need to practice self-reliance and to teach it to their children: “[w]hen you get out into areas like Mendocino County where I have one deputy per every six-hundred square miles, you had better be able to take care of yourself until the cops arrive.” He claims that people are being raised as “victims,” which puts them into extremely vulnerable and precarious situations: “When you call 911, there is not a three-minute response. There’s a twenty-minute response. In some areas, there’s a two-hour response. We have to start building people to be more resilient.” 

Sheriff Kendall also articulated his opinion on gun laws, saying, “Anyone who owns a firearm they’re looked at like they’re bad people, and it’s not true…That’s like me picking up a rock, throwing it and hitting a man in the head, and somebody trying to blame the rock.” Sheriff Kendall expressed concern that “we’re beginning to have legislation come out saying that you can’t protect your family.” 

Overall, Sheriff Kendall advises parents of Mendocino County to teach children to be resilient, to explain to children that self-defense is sometimes necessary, to teach children not to involve themselves with drugs. Lieutenant Barney felt the same way about drugs, saying, “Parents can teach their children to not do any drugs or hang out with people who are in that scene.” He also advised that you should “Never travel alone if you can help it and be aware of your surroundings.” Finally, he said that “If you have a bad feeling about a person or group, listen to it and leave.” 

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888)373-7388.

By Bennett Gaylord

As the globe experiences the effects of climate change, scientists predict Mendocino County could be impacted by the coastline rising, fires, droughts, farming, and agricultural slumps, and many more possibilities. Over the next few years, the climate could be changing in drastic ways, and UHS News examines some of those possibilities for our local future.

One of the biggest concerns about climate change is the rise in temperatures over the next century. The California Department of Public Health Predicts that California’s temperature could significantly increase the temperature over the next few years. The CDPH states, “[t]he projected temperature increases begin to diverge at mid-century so that, by the end of the century, the temperature increases projected in the higher emissions scenario are approximately twice as high as those projected in the lower emissions scenario.” This temperature increase taking place over the next few decades could result in a litany of problems, one of those being ice sheets melting in the arctic, potentially causing sea levels to rise.

The CDPH has many predictions on how sea levels rising might impact Mendocino County and areas around it: “Climate change models indicate that California may see up to a 66 inch (167 cm) rise in sea level within this century.” With sea rising onto the shore, there is a possibility for the coast being pushed further and further onto land, in some drastic cases, causing entire towns to become engulfed by the rising of the sea. 

With temperatures rising across California, wildfires are also a huge concern. Already, wildfires are a massive problem across the county, but with global warming raising the heat, there could be a higher threat than ever before. The CDPH provides a graph illustrating how wildfire risks may increase in future decades. At the start of 2020, they rank Mendocino County at a 1.29 high emission scenario, and by the time the graph reaches 2080, Mendocino county is ranked at a 3.56 high emission scenario. 

Though California already has a problem with droughts and lack of moisture, as the globe warms, these risks could increase: “Drought may increase exposure to health hazards including wildfires, dust storms, extreme heat events, flash flooding, degraded water quality, and reduced water quantity” With droughts taking away the ability to easily access water, many things also become more challenging, including fighting wildfires with natural resources like lakes near the fires. The report by the CDPH explains, “[d]rought decreases the availability and quality of water for humans. This includes reduced water levels to fight wildfire.”

Because of the heat, the CDPH also predicts a rise in heat-related illnesses. Those including mild heat stress, or fatal heat strokes. “Increased heat also intensifies the photochemical reactions that produce smog and ground-level ozone and fine particulates (PM2.5), which contribute to and exacerbate respiratory disease in children and adults.” Also, “Increased heat and carbon dioxide enhance the growth of plants that produce pollen, which are associated with allergies.” With all this in mind, it is important to know which groups are most at risk of being affected by climate change. 

Shockingly, the CDPH says that no one can avoid climate change; even the wealthy in California will somehow be impacted. “Even if one is fortunate to live, work, study, or play in a place without direct contact with wildfires, flooding, or sea-level rise, no one can entirely avoid excessive heat or the indirect effects of extreme weather events” This means that climate change and global warming, is everyone’s problem, not just the less fortunate. The CDPH says that even though everyone could be impacted, a particular group is at a higher risk: 

“Based on medical reviews of individuals who died during heatwaves and other extreme weather events, those who are particularly vulnerable to the direct effects of climate change include the very old and very young, individuals who have chronic medical conditions and psychiatric illness, people taking multiple medications, people without means for evacuation (no access to public transit or private cars), people who are socially isolated, medically fragile people, and people living in institutions” 

The CDPH also says that climate change’s adverse effects will not equally be distributed amongst the population: “Climate change magnifies existing health disparities. Disadvantaged populations, such as those with low education, experiencing racial segregation, low social support, poverty, and income inequality face disproportionate climate-related health burden.” 

With all the risks in mind, the CDPH is working on ways that Mendocino County can adapt to climate change such as “ community education and engagement, public health workforce development, identification of co-benefits, bolstering existing functions of public health preparedness and surveillance, multisectorial partnership building, and research.” The CDPH thinks that spreading knowledge on global warming so that people can become more aware of how they can stop it in their world is the best way to go. If everyone is educated, then Mendocino County as a community, can work together to slow down the risks and hazards that climate change will bring.  

The Positives of Distance Learning

By Kaycee Bushby

Two weeks into March, Ukiah Unified Schools were closed due to the global pandemic.  In this case, students and teachers had to move to online distance learning in all grades. Since the online learning was a late notice, most teachers were not prepared to transition to distance learning. Now that a new school year has begun, all teachers are prepared for their students to learn online. UHS News wants to highlight some of the positive aspects of distance learnin

1. Self-pacing
   • Distance learning is a great because many students are able to pace themselves in approaching their school work. In a normal school day on campus, students have different classes throughout the day, which makes students hustle throughout their classes and that is stressful. At home, students have all the time throughout their day to get their schoolwork done and be comfortable in their own space without being disturbed. 

2. Saving money
   • Due to online classes, it’s cheaper for students as well. Depending on the classes, students spend money on books, paper, pencils, etc. Now that our classes are online, students will only spend less money money on paper and pencils, because there are lots of other useful resources online. Most schools will even help provide students with supplies.

3. Socially distanced
   • Zoom and Google Meet, are very useful for students of all grade because both students and teachers don’t necessarily need to be face to face in person to learn effectively. For students that are introverted and prefer and more isolated form of learning, distance learning is a positive experience.

4. Online resources
   • Teachers and students are getting productive exposure to many online resource they would not have without distance learning.. Schools in Ukiah use Google Classroom for teachers to post online to show students their activities for the day and give students online homework assignments as well. Students and teachers use Zoom as well to talk to each other digitally. These products will be useful to utilize in both college and the working world

5. Safer in shelter 
   • Not only safer sheltering in home from COVID-19, but you’re safer at home because years over the world there have been threats and actual school shootings that caused some lives to be taken. Not only school shootings but there aren’t any fights on school grounds between any students. 

The Cons of Distance Learning

By Abby Kirkley

This year Ukiah High School has fully moved to distance learning because of increasing risks of COVID-19 in Ukiah and Mendocino County. While this learning from home decreases student’s and faculty’s chance of coming into contact with COVID-19, an entirely new set of challenges comes along with online school. From technical issues and navigating through online resources, to the mental stress of isolation, there are many cons of distance learning.

1. Technical Difficulties
   • With most schools in the U.S. moving online this year, platforms such as Zoom and Google Meets are being used more than ever. As to be expected, the sites cannot always hold that many people online at one time. Katie Williams’ Article on the Zoom crash that happened last Monday explains this. Additionally, many technical problems occur for individual students because of unstable WiFi connection. These technical difficulties add another layer of problems to the already challenging task of learning and teaching online.  

2. Isolation
   • Learning in school is not only about memorizing and being able to iterate facts. In most cases, to be able to learn information effectively, there needs to be a connection between the teacher and students. Losing this connection by moving online makes retaining and learning any information another of many barriers. Isolation from friends and even family also plays an important role. Humans need connection and to be deprived of it for long periods of time, as we have been, can negatively affect our mental health. Socialization is a part of school, with teachers of course, but especially with friends, and cutting that crucial part out makes students not care, or want to try because there is no ‘enjoyable’ or ‘fun’ part of school left.

3. Motivation
   • In college, students learn to be self-sufficient, to manage their own time, and figure out what they need to do. High school, and even middle school, students have had to do this for themselves. For most students, their parents are working and they don’t have anyone, as they would in school, making them do their work or go to class. Like I previously mentioned, the lack of socialization takes away a large portion of enjoyment in school, so without that, there is nothing driving them or making them want to go to school. 

4. Distraction
   • Homelife is different for everyone, and therefore different challenges are presented for everyone. Some have younger siblings they have to take care of or help, others have loud and hard to workspaces, both make participating and learning in class challenging. There are also distractions that come online, other than students being able to check out because of the ability to mute and turn off your camera; Zoom bombers have made an appearance in many classrooms. Hackers, or other students, get the classroom Zoom code, put their name as someone in the class so they’re admitted, and join the call with vulgar backgrounds and inappropriate sounds. Some of these distractions are inevitable, so teachers need to keep in mind that not all students can be completely present in class like they would at physical school because home life is different and everyone has to adjust to the new circumstances.

5. Screen Time
   • Teachers this year must spend a minimum of fifteen minutes on a Zoom call with their students. Some teachers spend the entire hour and a half lecturing or teaching on Zoom, and others have a quick call and then assign independent work, on the computer of course. Regardless of which one is used, most students are spending six hours on the computer just for school, plus additional time for homework. Social media also being one of the only ways people can socialize, when work is done, we go right back to our phones. This much time looking at a screen strains our eyes, can give awful headaches, and fatigue, it is extremely unhealthy. 

Distance learning is necessary this year to keep the majority of staff and students safe, but it doesn’t come without problems of its own. There are many issues with learning from home that need to be taken into consideration in order to improve it, but, overall, the benefits of keeping us healthy outweigh the inconveniences.