|
|
|
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
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. |