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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a trailblazing champion of |
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education and civil rights with the passing of former state senator |
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Joe J. Bernal of San Antonio on January 25, 2025, at the age of 97; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on March 1, 1927, Joe Bernal was |
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the son of Jose and Antonia Bernal; he grew up with eight siblings |
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on the city's west side and graduated from Lanier High School; |
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coming of age during World War II, he joined the U.S. Army and |
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served with the Headquarters Squadron, Pacific Air Command in |
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Tokyo, attaining the rank of sergeant; discharged in December 1946, |
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he immediately enrolled at Trinity University on the GI Bill and |
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completed his bachelor's degree in sociology; he taught in the |
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Kosciusko, Edgewood, and San Antonio Independent School Districts |
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and earned a master's degree in education with a minor in social |
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work from Our Lady of the Lake College; for four years, he was |
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employed as a social worker by the Inman Christian Center; and |
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WHEREAS, On June 2, 1956, Senator Bernal married the former |
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Mary Esther Martinez; the couple became the proud parents of four |
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children, Bernard "Barney", Richard, Patrick, and Rebecca, and |
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their treasured family later grew to include eight grandchildren |
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and five great-grandchildren; Barney Bernal passed away in 2016 and |
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Mrs. Bernal in 2022; and |
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WHEREAS, Joe Bernal was elected to the Texas House of |
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Representatives in 1964 and to the Texas Senate in 1966; a fierce |
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advocate for public education, he played a key role in passing |
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legislation regarding school finance, educational initiatives, |
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scholarships, and access to higher education; in an era when |
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teachers could lose their certifications or incur fines for using |
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Spanish in the classroom, he secured passage of the state's first |
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bilingual education act, and he helped obtain federal funding for |
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bilingual learning as well; in addition, he authored bills that |
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provided free kindergarten statewide for five-year-olds and that |
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created a 45-minute planning period for elementary teachers; |
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fighting to expand opportunities for San Antonio residents, he |
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sponsored bills that established The University of Texas at |
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San Antonio and brought dental and nursing schools to the UT Health |
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Science Center; his other impactful legislation included the |
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state's first minimum wage law and funding for a criminal justice |
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council; he led the Senate Mexican American Caucus and chaired the |
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Federal Programs and Relations, Poverty in Texas, and Claims |
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Committees; and |
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WHEREAS, During his tenure in the legislature, Senator Bernal |
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was employed as executive director for the Guadalupe Community |
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Center and then for the Commission for Mexican American Affairs; in |
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1972, he returned to private life and became director of the |
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Bilingual Cost Analysis Project of the Intercultural Development |
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Research Association; he further served as a regional director of |
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ACTION, a federal agency that coordinated volunteer opportunities, |
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and he earned a doctoral degree in cultural foundations in |
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education from UT Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Bernal served as principal of Emma Frey |
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Elementary School in Edgewood ISD and then as assistant |
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superintendent for instructional services for Harlandale ISD; |
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elected to the State Board of Education in 1996, he spent the next |
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decade promoting bilingual education; he served a term as vice |
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chair and chaired the committee on instruction, and he facilitated |
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the advent of University Interscholastic League mariachi band |
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competitions; in recognition of his myriad contributions, |
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Northside ISD named the Dr. Joe J. Bernal Middle School in his |
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honor; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than half a century, Senator Bernal was a |
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stalwart supporter of the Mexican American Legal Defense and |
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Educational Fund; he was a founding member of its board, and during |
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10 years in that role, he was lead plaintiff in White v. Regester, a |
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major national victory for Latino representation and minority |
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voting rights; in 2009, MALDEF presented a Lifetime Achievement |
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Award to Joe and Mary Esther Bernal, who was one of the state's |
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first bilingual education teachers, for their shared commitment to |
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civil rights and educational equity; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of great integrity, courage, and |
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determination, Joe Bernal worked selflessly throughout his career |
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to improve the lives of his fellow Texans, and although he will be |
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deeply missed, his many outstanding achievements will continue to |
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resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Joe |
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J. Bernal and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his |
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passing; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joe Bernal. |