Bill Text: TX HCR30 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Requesting The University of Texas at Austin to lead a study by several Texas public universities to examine how young black males in Texas are affected by the benefits and detriments of living in Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-18 - Referred to Higher Education [HCR30 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HCR30-Introduced.html
82R2870 CBE-D | ||
By: Dutton | H.C.R. No. 30 |
|
||
WHEREAS, Two recent studies present a grim social and | ||
economic forecast for the large pool of young black men in the | ||
United States who are tragically disconnected from the American | ||
mainstream; and | ||
WHEREAS, In Black Males Left Behind, editor Ronald Mincy, a | ||
professor at Columbia University's School of Social Work, concludes | ||
that joblessness and low earnings among "disconnected" young black | ||
men, in addition to greatly diminishing their own individual | ||
chances for success in life, contribute to increases in nonmarital | ||
childbearing and a host of other social problems affecting not only | ||
the African American community but all Americans; and | ||
WHEREAS, Similarly, in Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men, | ||
authors Peter Edelman, Harry Holzer, and Paul Offner analyze | ||
racial, ethnic, educational, and employment characteristics of | ||
young black men, finding that: (1) only half of black men between | ||
the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in school are currently working; | ||
(2) roughly one-third of young black men are in jail or prison or on | ||
parole or probation at any time; and (3) 10 percent of young black | ||
men have been disconnected from school and work for a year or more, | ||
and if incarcerated populations are included, the rate rises to 17 | ||
percent; and | ||
WHEREAS, A study of young black men in this state would help | ||
Texas educators, service providers, and policy makers develop a | ||
uniquely Texas approach to addressing what many social scientists | ||
believe is America's most significant social problem; and | ||
WHEREAS, The University of Texas at Austin is ideally | ||
qualified to lead a study by several Texas public universities on | ||
the myriad social and economic issues relating to the number of | ||
young black males in Texas between the ages of 14 and 25 who are | ||
disconnected from work and family; and | ||
WHEREAS, A leader in social science research, The University | ||
of Texas at Austin boasts a School of Social Work that is well known | ||
for its contributions to a growing body of knowledge about the human | ||
condition, social issues, and service delivery systems to promote | ||
the greater public good; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby request The University of Texas at Austin to lead a study by | ||
several Texas public universities on the social and economic issues | ||
relating to the number of unskilled black males in Texas between the | ||
ages of 14 and 25 who are disconnected from work, family, and | ||
society; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the University of Houston, Texas Southern | ||
University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas Tech University, and | ||
Texas A&M University also participate in the study, which is to | ||
include an examination of how young black men in Texas are affected | ||
by the benefits and detriments of living in this state; and, be it | ||
further | ||
RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official | ||
copy of this resolution to the presidents of The University of Texas | ||
at Austin, the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, | ||
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Tech University, and Texas A&M | ||
University. |