From APS Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall:
I’m asking for your help on a significant collaboration between our school district and Public Broadcasting Atlanta in order to increase public awareness and prevent the prostitution of children in Atlanta. Please tune in Sunday, January 30, 2011, at 8 p.m. or 10 p.m., for the PBA30 TV broadcast, “How To Stop The Candy Shop,” a one-hour presentation about the sexual exploitation of children.
This topic aligns with the ongoing “Darkness To Light” sexual abuse training that’s offered through the Office of Student Programs and Services. Our school counselors and social workers will discuss this child safety issue in upcoming staff and PTA meetings, as well as provide additional resources to students and parents.
Thank you for supporting such an important issue and for your commitment to protecting our students. For more information, please see the attached press release. (After the break)
Beverly L. Hall, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
From Public Broadcasting Atlanta:
Public Broadcasting Atlanta Tackles Tough Issues of Child Sex Trafficking with “How To Stop the Candy Shop”
ATLANTA—January 16, 2011—Public Broadcasting Atlanta continues to tackle tough issues and create change in our community with How To Stop The Candy Shop. This significant, organization-wide effort is designed to increase public awareness and prevent the prostitution of children in Atlanta. From the streets to the internet, child sex trafficking is a significantly larger problem in Georgia than most people realize.
WABE News, PBA30 TV, and Public Square Atlanta.org (PBA’s civic engagement website) are joining forces to bring this issue and potential solutions into focus.
PBA30 TV will broadcast How To Stop The Candy Shop, a special one-hour presentation at 8PM on January 30th, 2011, with an encore presentation that same evening at 10PM.
The first half hour will feature the world broadcast premiere of The Candy Shop, a fairytale/parable about the sexual exploitation of children. This phenomenal short film is a project of Whitestone Motion Pictures, directed by Brandon McCormick. The Candy Shop is not a documentary. It is not a PSA. This dramatic film marks the launch of a city-wide and potentially nationwide campaign.
Immediately following the film, PBA30 TV and WABE 90.1 FM News will present an in-depth news special about child sexual exploitation in our own community.
This WABE News effort, led by Denis O’Hayer and Rose Scott, will include candid interviews and powerful conversations with people on the frontline who are working to stop the prostitution of children.
In the weeks prior to and following the TV special, WABE 90.1 FM will be airing a comprehensive radio news series on the sex trafficking of Atlanta minors. These reports will chronicle the prostitution of children; who these children are, how are they lured and who’s helping to rescue them…right here in Atlanta.
After seeing and hearing these programs, many will wonder “How do I get more information,” or even, “I know a great deal about this topic and want to share with others.” PBA’s community engagement website, Public Square Atlanta (www.publicsquareatlanta.org) will help viewers and listeners to participate in dialogue and exchange ideas. Public Square offers online tools for citizens to reach elected officials, to develop community groups and identify resources to help stop the plague of human trafficking in the Atlanta region.
Support for Public Broadcasting Atlanta’s presentation of How To Stop The Candy Shop comes from Street Grace, an alliance of churches, community partners and volunteers working together to end the sexual exploitation of our children. In addition to the online resources of Public Square Atlanta.org, concerned citizens can also visit stopthecandyshop.com to become part of our community solution to prevent child sex trafficking.
Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA) brings NPR News, music, the arts and PBS programs to hundreds of thousands of listeners and viewers each year via WABE 90.1 FM and PBA30 TV. PBA provides educational resources to Atlanta through APS Cable 22 and PBA’s Homework Hotline, and supports Atlanta’s online community with Public Square Atlanta, Atlanta PlanIt and Atlanta Forum Network. PBA is also home to StoryCorps Atlanta. The people of Public Broadcasting Atlanta work tirelessly to provide innovative approaches for lifelong learning worthy of our community’s support.
