On Jan. 30, the Epstein files were unsealed by the United States Department of Justice, sparking worldwide conversations about the figures involved and the systems enabling wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse. Yet the scale of the abuse raises a question: if grooming was the primary method used to exploit victims, why don’t school systems teach students how to recognize it at an early age?
Like several other states, California requires students to complete health education to graduate, covering topics such as sexual health, consent, and healthy relationships under the California Healthy Youth Act. Within the San Mateo Union High School District, this curriculum extends to areas including physical wellness, substance use prevention, mental and emotional well-being, safety, and community health. However, the curriculum largely overlooks grooming — the gradual and manipulative process that often precedes abuse. Implementing lessons that educate students about the signs of grooming should be mandatory, especially when the issue is so prevalent in our society today.
When I took health class as a freshman, I learned about consent and healthy relationships, but we didn’t cover how to identify unhealthy power dynamics and grooming patterns. While students may be taught to define consent, it is difficult to identify exploitation, especially when boundaries are tested more discreetly or when authority and attention are used to create emotional dependence.
This lack of awareness around grooming patterns is reflected in the Epstein case itself. With the assistance of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein employed grooming tactics to traffic and abuse young girls, often luring them with promises of modeling opportunities, financial support, or mentorship. According to court documents and victim testimony, many were initially approached in seemingly safe and familiar environments — including summer camps and schools — and were gradually drawn into a “circle of trust.” Victims reported being given gifts, money, college education, and special attention before boundaries were slowly crossed, making the abuse unrecognizable in its early stages.
Ava Berger, a reporter for NPR News, highlighted the experiences of victims of Epstein and Maxwell at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Epstein donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the institution, a contribution that established credibility and trust and allowed him to stay on campus independently. During these visits, he met girls as young as 13 and 14, initiating relationships that would persist even after the camp. Offering to pay for education and presenting himself as a “trusted alum,” Epstein masked his true intentions and gradually built relationships with vulnerable students through manipulation and control.
What makes things worse? Epstein isn’t the only figure guilty of these crimes.
On March 18, an investigation by the New York Times detailed allegations that labor leader César Chávez sexually abused and groomed young women and girls within the United Farm Workers movement. Several survivors and victims reported that the abuse unfolded over time, and many were reluctant to question his behavior due to his position as a respected leader. Worried about tarnishing the legacy of the movement, many chose to stay silent for years.
It is crucial for young people — who are still developing the ability to question authority — to learn to differentiate appropriate from inappropriate power dynamics.
Research shows that the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for decision-making — is still developing throughout the teenage years. According to Northwestern Medicine, this region does not fully mature until mid-to-late 20s, meaning adolescents rely more heavily on the brain’s emotional and reward centers, including parts of the limbic system. This includes the amygdala, which processes strong emotions such as anxiety and helps people assess risk and reward. As a result, teenagers are more susceptible to influence from authority figures and easily drawn to validation, attention, and promises of opportunity.
If schools and health curricula aim to equip students with the tools to navigate real-world risks, then recognizing power imbalances must be treated as an essential component of health education. During this highly vulnerable era of development, it’s important to provide guidance on identifying grooming behavior.
