Blog 8

May 01, 2019. My classmate Ruben posted “Is Texas Senate Bill 11 enough to keep school.” His main point is that Texas Senate Bill 11 is not enough to keep school safe. Texas Senate Bill 11 mainly included that students and teachers 21 and older with a license to conceal carry can do so on a college campus. In addition, it added to the bill by trying to strengthen mental health initiatives in school and equip teachers and substitute teachers with adequate communication devices for when emergencies happen and have a safety committee meeting once per semester. However, he points out that even though Texas passed these amendments, there are a lot of problems in school. In 2017, there were 17,284 murders in the US. In 2018, there were 114 deaths in school shootings. He says that statistically, this is nothing compared to the number of total deaths in the US. Many people will use this and brush off that school problems are a problem. Something people on both sides of the political spectrum is that schools need more security.

I agree with his opinion that Texas Senate Bill 11 is not enough to keep school safe, but it is going to be a good step for the school.  Senate Bill 11 attempts proposals include beefing up mental health resources in schools by employing mental health professionals in Texas school districts; expanding emergency response training for district employees, including substitute teachers; and establishing threat assessment teams which would help identify potentially dangerous students and determine the best way to intervene before they become violent, to serve in Texas schools. Even though adopt those amendments, a large number of accidents occurred in school. However, we can’t blame these amendments. I think we know that we cannot prevent every tragedy, and there is no one size fits all solution for strengthening school security, but SB 11 provides the framework to empower school districts to do what’s best for them and their students.

Austin's homeless population still growing

Even though the expenditure of millions of city and federal dollars, and the fact that Austin's efforts are frequently cited as best practices in other cities, homelessness is still on the rise here. According to new city data, the city of Austin saw a five percent increase in people experiencing homelessness between January of 2017 and 2018. On Jan. 27, the city conducted its annual "Point-In-Time" count to document the number of people who are unsheltered and homeless in Austin, counting people not just on the street but also in cars, tents, parks and under bridges. Those numbers were combined with the count of people staying in transitional housing. In total, they identified 2,147 people in Austin experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the number of people in 2019 sleeping unsheltered on the streets was 1,014 the highest of all the last 8 years. Ann Howard, who is executive director of the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, believes that the reason for the increase is not related to the fact that more people are moving to Austin, but because "crisis happens and housing is expensive, and what creates homelessness is a lack of affordable housing." Howard explained that we can sort of assign homework to the different parts of the community to get us all working together to make a difference. However, Howard said this plan will allow them to plan out necessary services, but they still don't have the funding to supply all the beds and services that are needed.

The number of people experiencing homelessness is increasing in Austin. In the past 10 years, a lack of affordable housing combined with inadequate funding of mental health service has left more and more on the streets. In downtown Austin, coming across a homeless person on every street corner is uncommon. I have seen many people who are living on the streets, living in unsafe, unclean situations. I think It is not just not right. I think one of the best ways to resolve this problem is housing. Because homelessness is fundamentally defined by lack of housing, housing is the essential foundation for ending homelessness. I think housing is healthcare. Housing is safety and security. Housing provides a stable Launchpad from which people can get and keep a job, address mental illness and substance use to take care of their health and nutrition, and find purposeful roles in the community. However, housing is expensive in Austin. If the Austin government do not resolve this problem, we can't make progress in solving the problems of the homeless. If we expect to end homelessness, we need a massive commitment to ensure affordable housing for all. Housing is a basic human right, without which people cannot lead stable, connected lives. If we expect to end homelessness, housing is the fundamental starting place.

Medicaid Expansion for Texas

April 18, 2019. My classmate Phuong Nguyen posted "Medicaid expansion for Texas." His main point is problems of Texas medical system. In Texas, many people still cannot afford their medical coverage. I really agree with that people with low incomes or disabilities confront difficulties in paying for medical expenses. His opinion is that Texas should expand Medicaid to support the health of Texans because Texas has strict Medicaid qualifications which limit the number of people that can access the benefits. First, he mentions the Texan's health insurance. He says that Texas makes up about 31 percent of total more than 2 million uninsured and poor people that distribute in the coverage gap in the analysis of Kaiser Family Foundation. In addition, Texas is one of 14 states that refuses to expand Medicaid in the United States that makes many people cannot access health insurance. That means Texas has a large number of people not having health insurance. Thinking all of those happening, he thinks that expanding Medicaid will help more Texans to get aids for their health coverage and it may have a positive effect on economic growth of Texas because if they agree to expand the Medicaid, they will receive the fund from the federal, and people who get low-income can be less suffered from economic problem for a health care.

I totally agree with his opinion that Texas should expand Medicaid to support the health of Texans. According to reports, Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the United States at 16.6 percent. Many of those uninsured, about 638,000, are in the so-called "coverage gap." They don't make enough money to qualify for the insurance subsidies guaranteed by the ACA, but they make too much cash to qualify for Texas' Medicaid statute. In addition to those in the gap, the expansion would also cover more than 400,000 Texas residents with incomes just above the poverty line. Both groups are made up of the people the ACA's Medicaid expansion was designed to cover, but Texas' state representatives have left them out. I think the Legislature should make sure there is a health insurance option available to Texans who build our homes, take care of our toddlers and grandparents, serve our food when we go out to eat, or who stay home to care for their new baby while a spouse goes to work. Unfortunately, many of these jobs don't offer insurance and don't pay enough for Texans to buy their own insurance. The federal government is offering states expanded Medicaid funding to cover these specific families, but so far state leaders have turned down the funding without offering any alternative plans. I think state leaders should think about this problem again, and they should know that there are many benefits of expanding Medicaid. By reducing the number of people in Texas without insurance, expanding Medicaid will lower the costs that are passed on to insured Texans and to Texas businesses. Moreover, by increasing job and economic activity in the state, the Medicaid expansion can help boost state revenue.

Texas children

Texas often touts its record of economic growth, low unemployment rates and its success as a magnet for workers, but who's thinking about the kids in tow and how well-fed or educated they are? Many people are surprised to find that about one in five kids in Texas lives in poverty. According to the report, 1.7 million children, or one-fourth of Texas kids, are currently living in poverty, and 1.1 million of the children living in poverty are Latino, 277,000 are black, 241,000 are white, and 31,000 are Asian. The poverty rate for Latino children in Texas is three times the rate for white children, so the racial disparities among kids living in poverty are stark. The report also found racial and ethnic disparities around health and education. 3.8% of black children in Texas face food insecurity, a rate that is nearly twice that of white children and the state also has one of the highest percentages of children without health insurance in the country (11%) and the rate of Latino children who are uninsured is over twice the rate of white children who are uninsured. I think if this problem persists, minority children also face higher barriers than their white peers when it comes to educational achievement. 

I think Texas lawmakers should focus on creating pathways out of poverty and promoting equity for all children. According to the report, Texas consistently ranks among the bottom 10 states regarding children's health and well-being. I really concern about that children are in trouble, and I think Texas is going to be in big trouble. They should recognize that it is going to be a really big problem to Texas state. I think children of color are not only the future of Texas, they are the Texas of today. Without them, Texas would face a demographic crisis a shrinking and aging population with few working-age adults to support and replace older adults in the workforce. Closing the educational, health and financial gaps between Texas children of different races and ethnicities will require intentional, proactive community choices and public policies to ensure all Texans can reach their full potential.

Blog4. Over One Million Texas Children Are Living In Poverty

On Monday, April 15, 2016. Burnt Orange Report published a blog titled Over One Million Texas Children Are Living In Poverty.

The blog "Over One Million Texas Children Are Living in Poverty" was written by Katie Singh. Texas often touts its record of economic growth, low unemployment rates and its success as a magnet for workers, but who's thinking about the kids in tow and how well-fed or educated they are? Many people are surprised to find that about one in five kids in Texas lives in poverty. According to the report, 1.7 million children, or one-fourth of Texas kids, are currently living in poverty, and 1.1 million of the children living in poverty are Latino, 277,000 are black, 241,000 are white, and 31,000 are Asian. The poverty rate for Latino children in Texas is three times the rate for white children, so the racial disparities among kids living in poverty are stark. The report also found racial and ethnic disparities around health and education. 3.8% of black children in Texas face food insecurity, a rate that is nearly twice that of white children and the state also has one of the highest percentages of children without health insurance in the country (11%) and the rate of Latino children who are uninsured is over twice the rate of white children who are uninsured. It also mentions that minority children also face higher barriers than their white peers when it comes to educational achievement. The author concerns that children are in trouble, and he also thinks that Texas is going to be in really big trouble. He says "when poor black and Latino kids are less healthy and less likely to get an education, they are unable to gain the tools they need to set themselves up for the future. This makes them more likely to remain in poverty as adults, and have their kids grow up facing the same barriers as well."

The author opinion is that Texas lawmakers should focus on creating pathways out of poverty and promoting equity for all children. I totally agree with his opinion. According to the report, Texas consistently ranks among the bottom 10 states regarding children's health and well-being. I'm really mad at Texas government because I really wonder what they have been doing while children suffer. They should recognize that it is going to be a really big problem to Texas state. I think that children of color are not only the future of Texas, they are the Texas of today. Without them, Texas would face a demographic crisis a shrinking and aging population with few working-age adults to support and replace older adults in the workforce. Closing the educational, health and financial gaps between Texas children of different races and ethnicities will require intentional, proactive community choices and public policies to ensure all Texans can reach their full potential.

blog3 Immigration reform will work better than a border wall (El Paso)

On Monday, Feburary 25, 2019. The El Paso published an article titled Immigration reform will work better than a border wall.

The article "Immigration reform will work better than a border wall" was written by Sylvia Garcia. She said that over the past 1- years, violent crime rate has not changed in El Paso because of the border wall; however, other minor crimes have decreased thanks to task forces initiated by the El Paso Police Department. Donald Trump did not try to solve the fundamental problem. He just turned to declare a national emergency to build a wall that he hopes will stop undocumented immigrants and drugs from entering their country. The author mentions that Trump's wall will not prove to be successful. Therefore, she believes that a more successful approach is reforming our existing immigration policies and increasing the number of officers at our ports of entry to stop drugs from entering.

I totally agree with her opinion. President Donald Trump claimed that El Paso went from "one of the most dangerous cities in the country to one of the safest cities in the country overnight" after "a wall was put up" along the Mexico border. However, it was false. There was no "overnight" drop in violent crimes in El Paso after "a wall was put up." In fact, the city's violent crime rate increased by 5.5 percent from 2007 to 2010. Before construction on the fence began, the city's violent crime rate dropped 62 percent from its peak in 1993 to 2007, a year. I think his border wall project looks extreme way. There are other ways to solve this problem, but he just forces his way without thinking for people. If he spends the billions of dollars for revising their immigration policies and adding more technology and agents at the ports of entry instead of building a border wall, many problems would be decreasing.

Blog2. Problem with the border wall

On Friday, October 11, 2018, The Houston Media published an article titled Texas Parks Department Concerned about Border Wall Plan

Recently, there are many problems with the border wall. Through this article, I could recognize that one of the problems is an environmental problem. The United States government asserts that the construction of the border wall between Texas and Mexico would affect wildlife and aquatic resources. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has warned U.S. Border Patrol that it could be forced to shutter a beloved state park on the southern tip of the state if President Donald Trump builds his border wall through it. The problem is that the park is part of the World Birding Center and there are several threatened species birds which is one of the nation's top bird-watching destinations. People who want to protect Texas parks and wildlife said that they expressed these concerns to Customs and Border Protection, both in person and through public comment opportunities. However, Homeland Security maintains there is an " acute and immediate need" for border walls and roads in the area, which the government describes as " an area of high illegal entry." I think that its environmental reviews the government failed to adequately consider the proposed border wall's indirect or cumulative effects, the effects to wildlife and conservation lands, and meaningful alternatives that could minimize environmental damage. I knew that there are many problems with the border wall, but I could not think about the environmental problem. Through this article, I hope many people can recognize this problem.