By Price                                          H.R. No. 66

      75R4908 WMS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, Students attending school in Texas profit

 1-2     significantly when taught to live together in peace and harmony;

 1-3     seeking nonviolent solutions to conflicts and disagreements is a

 1-4     vital focus of our educational institutions, one with far-reaching

 1-5     beneficial consequences that extend to both interpersonal

 1-6     relationships and the future of domestic and foreign affairs; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, Texas school officials are constantly pursuing new

 1-8     and effective ways to teach students peaceful behavior, and

 1-9     teachers have consistently characterized such behavior to their

1-10     students as strength of character and not lack of courage; and

1-11           WHEREAS, To this end, leaders with the Port Arthur

1-12     Independent School District (ISD) and the city of Port Arthur have

1-13     developed Peace Week  to both call attention to the patterns of

1-14     community violence that have spread into our schools and to

1-15     encourage a united effort among students, teachers, parents, and

1-16     the community to reach peaceful solutions to dissensions,

1-17     disagreements, and misunderstandings; and

1-18           WHEREAS, Peace Week was first celebrated in Port Arthur in

1-19     February 1996 and was warmly received by participants throughout

1-20     the community; the activities of that inaugural observance included

1-21     a community-wide rally at Memorial Stadium, meetings with student

1-22     groups, an art and essay contest, proclamations by the mayor and

1-23     school board, a parade, individual school activities, and a daily

1-24     recitation of the peace pledge; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, Given the success of Peace Week in the Port Arthur

 2-2     ISD, it is indeed appropriate that a special week be set aside to

 2-3     encourage all Texans to preserve peace in their schools and their

 2-4     communities; now, therefore, be it

 2-5           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-6     Legislature hereby recognize February 3 through 7, 1997, as Peace

 2-7     Week in Texas Schools and encourage all students, teachers,

 2-8     administrators, and other staff members at schools across the Lone

 2-9     Star State to participate in this worthy event.