Austin Peay University
9.4. The attention of the educational systems of the community to adult residents 14
10.0. Health and welfare systems 14
11.0. Social control and safety 15
12.0. Sources of information and public opinion 15
13.0. Summary assessment of community issues 16
Introduction
Texas is one of the states that make up the United States. It is the second largest in terms of population and also the second in largest by area. This paper seeks to assess the community functioning of Texas. The state has in the recent years experienced very strong growth in population.
Demographics
The state of Texas is allocated in the southern central part of the country and it shares an international boundary with Mexico on the southern side. In addition to this, Texas borders Oklahoma on the north side, Louisiana on the east, the state of New Mexico on the west and Arkansas on the northeast. As per the census that was contacted in 2010 in US, Texas has a population of 25.1 million, which presents an increase of increase of 4.3 million since last census that was conducted in 2000 (Quickfacts.census.gov, 2016). The racial population of Texas is distributed as follows; whites comprise of 84.54% of the population, black count for 12.09% of the population, Asians count for 3.13% of the total population, AIAN account for 1.09% while NHPI account for 0.16% of the total population of Texas (Quickfacts.census.gov, 2016). Not all the ethnic groups living in Texas speak English. For example, most of the Asians in Texas have continued to peak Asian though they are still in the process of familiarizing themselves with English language. Texas has a population density of 105.2 people per square mile. The people of Texas have diverse characteristics. Bearing in mind that the states comprises of people from different racial groups, the people in the state have mingled and shared their norms hence the diverse characteristics among the members of the Texas state. The state has numerous major cities and metropolitan areas as well as a number of towns and rural areas. Most of the state’s population is in Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso among other major areas. Most of these areas have industrial parks which contain a number of factories and industries. Other towns and cities that make up Texas include; Dallas, Austin, Plano, Garland, Corpus Christi, McKinney, Waco, Beaumont, Brownsville among others (Eppley.org, 2016).
Such neighbors of Texas like Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and New Mexico are characterized by wealthy professionals and renowned business people. Texas houses various universities and academic research institutions. These includes; University of Houston, University of North Texas, Texas A&M University, University of North Texas, the Texas Tech University, Texas State University among other academic institutions. The state has many universities and academic institutions due to its large population. The state is not isolated rather it is strategically located in an area which is rich in natural resources. For example, Louisiana provides Texas with agricultural products for use in agricultural factories and industries. This is because the state is bestowed with plenty of rainfall, very fertile soil and long growing season. In addition the state of Louisiana has thick forests which offer woods for use in the textile industries in Texas. On the other hand, the state of New Mexico provides Texas with such minerals like petroleum, copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and natural gas. In addition, Texas gets potassium and uranium salts from New Mexico. Texas also gets such minerals like natural gas and petroleum from the state of Oklahoma. Finally, Texas receives bauxite, quartz crystal, bromine and silica stone from Arkansas.
History of Texas
The history of Texas that is recorded starts with the arrival of first Spanish conquistadors in Texas in the year 1519. The Spanish found the region which was high populated with Innate American tribes. The ancestors of these tribes had lived there for many thousand years. Between 1519 and 1848, the whole of Texas or most of its parts were been claimed by the republic of Texas, Mexico, France, Spain, the US and Confederate States of America. The first European base was started in 1680 in El Paso. Texas became independent nation in 1836 after fighting and winning the Texas Revolution that lasted between 1835 and 1836. In 1845, the Republic of Texas joined the US and become the 28th state of the United States. In 1961, Texas affirmed its secession from US to join Confederate States of America.
Bearing in mind that Texas was founded in 1845, and then it is clear that Texas is 171 years old. There are many changes which have taken place since the time when Texas was founded.
How Texas has developed over time
The changes include economic, political, and social among other dynamics. For example, the population of Texas has greatly grown over the last 171 years making it the second largest state in terms of population. In addition to this, the economy of Texas has greatly grown. For example, in 2015 Texas GDP stood at $ 1,648,007 million. Other changes that have occurred in Texas are in infrastructure. The area is now well connected in both transport and communication aspects. Both road and communication networks in Texas have greatly changed when compared to 1845. The main races which seem to be populating the state of Texas are the whites, blacks and Asians. The whites are leading in terms of population. Most of the groups who were in Texas during its foundation still exist up to date. The reason behind this is the favorable environment which makes the area rich for human survival.
Geography and environmental influence on community
Type of environment of Texas
The state of Texas is bestowed with very green environments because of the plenty of rainfall that it experiences. Though the state is housing many industries, forest cover of Texas is still not bad. Texas is not an isolated state rather it is a state that is well-linked with other states by use of various means.
Highways in Texas
Texas is well linked with other states of America in addition to other nations with various means of transport. For example, there are various highways that interlink Texas with other states. The Interstate Highway System in Texas covers 5,213.8 km and it includes 11 major routes. Moreover, Texas has an efficient railway system. For example, the Texas Eagle connects Texas with Chicago, Illinois and San Antonio.
Economic recreational activities
Though Texas is not located on an ocean, it has a number of various oceanic beaches which attract visitors from various parts of the world. Such beaches include; Galveston's East Beach, Padre Island among others. Since it is not located on an ocean, shipping and boating are not among the primary economic as well as recreational activities in the state of Texas.
Mountains in Texas
Texas is bestowed with various mountains. The mountains that are found in Texas include; Guadalupe Peak, El Capitan, Bush Mountain, Emory Peak, Chinati Mountains, Davis Mountains, Sierra Blanca, Franklin Mountains, Packsaddle Mountain, Old Baldy, Ranger Peak, Double Mountains among others (Double Lake Recreation Area, 2016). Most of these mountains are normally covered by ice during the winter. The ice coverage in these roads is normally very high during the winter and they end up blocking roads making them inaccessible.
Recreational areas
Texas has so many recreational areas such as parks as well as well-maintained and classy restaurants. some of the most beautiful parks in Texas include; Big Bend state park, Guadalupe Mountains national park, Hueco Tanks state historic site, Palo Duro Canyon state park, Enchanted rock, Padre Island national seashore, Longhorn Caverns state park, Zilker Metropolitan Park among others. The various parks among other recreational sites have been very instrumental in Texas’s tourism industry. They attract tourists from various parts of the world who bring foreign exchange to Texas. This has helped to a great extend in the economic growth of Texas. In addition to this, there are high-end restaurants which have been erected near the parks. These restaurants have employed so many people hence providing employment.
Environmental hazards in Texas
Texas is experiencing a number of environmental hazards. Though the state government of Texas has enacted various laws meant to safeguard the environment against any form of pollution, the environment of Texas is still polluted. The state houses many industries and factories which have continued to release a lot of waste into the environment. Pollution to one element of the environment leads to pollution in other parts of the environment. For example, when a lot of smoke is produced to the environment and is followed by heavy downfall, the dirty water normally finds its way to the streams and rivers in Texas and this consequently leads to water pollution. The state of Texas is rarely faced with power shortages.
Beliefs and attitudes
Texas is one of the few states which do not have very strong cultural beliefs and values. The culture of Texas can be better described as a very complicated blending of the various values and belief systems of different people who originally lived in Australia. The cultural beliefs and values of the people of Texas are very complicated since it is the blend of the numerous cultures of the people who live in the state. Bearing in mind that the state is among the states which are made up of people from many races, it is important to note that the traditional belief systems of these people have been diluted and in most cases people are at liberty to practice their own cultures provided that the cultures do not injure or in way negative affect other people living in these societies. There are different religious groupings in Texas. For example, there are Christians and Muslims in the Texas. In addition to this, there are blacks, whites, Asians among other races living in Texas and this has contributed a lot in the dilution of the key ethic beliefs and values of the different races.
Texas is a mature state in terms of political democracy. In this state, there is no fixed belief that the state must be ruled by a certain political party, rather the people are allowed the democratic right of electing the people they want and aligning to the political party of their choice. The people of Texas do not feel isolated rather they feel being part of the society. This is because they are involved in various social, political and economic activities that take place in their nation.
Local politics
The government of Texas normally operates under Texas’s constitution and it comprises of unitary democratic state government which applies the use of the Dillon Rule together with the governments at both the municipal and the county levels. The power of the state government is divided into three that is, the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. The executive is normally termed as plural executive since most of officers in this unit of government are directly elected by the Texas voters.
Executive
The power of the executive is vested in the hands of the governor. The main role of the executive is to enforce laws and ascend to the various bills. The governor is the top most leader in the executive arm of state government.
Legislature
The House of Representatives and the senate carry out all the legislative work in the states.
Judicial
The main duty of the judiciary in Texas government is to enforce and adjudicate the laws in overlapping central, local and the state jurisdictions.
The Supreme Court in Texas is the normal court of the final recourse in entire excluding criminal matters. On the other hand, the courts of appeal have jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. Both the judges and the justices in Texas are elected. The main issue in Texas is the incoming presidential election. The people of Texas seem to have a divided support for both Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz.
Figure 1: structure of the government of Texas
Local economy and business
Agriculture is one of the major industries in the state of Texas. The state has been bestowed with very ample climate which help to boost agricultural production. To begin with, there are thick forests in Texas which produce most of the timbers used in both construction and in the textile industries. In addition to this, there are many cotton plantations in Texas which not only offer revenue to the government but also help in providing employment opportunities to the people from the state and even from other states and nations around the globe. Other industries which are found in Texas include mining industries. There are various oil refinery companies in Texas which have helped to provide employment to a large number of people in Texas. The local economy of Texas is growing and thriving at a very fast rate. For example, in 2014, the state had a gross state product of 1.648 trillion dollars, hence being the second in US. In addition to this, in 2010, the state’s household income was $48,259. The main businesses in Texas are owned by both the locals as well as the conglomerates. There are different types of jobs that exist in Texas; there are both white as well as blue collar jobs in the state. People can be employed in the offices to do such jobs like acting as secretaries, IT technicians, information system analysts, fashion designers among other types of jobs. Most residence of Texas work inside the community since there are equally better jobs like those offered in other places. For example, in Texas one can get any kind of job based on their preference and academic qualification.
There is enough means of transport in Texas to help ferry people to and from jobs. The means of transport available include; air transport, railway transport, road transport, bicycles among other transport means. As on Apr 2015, the employment rate in Texas stood at 4.2% (Bls.gov, 2016).
Income distribution
People of Texas rarely receive public assistance benefits since most of them are employed therefore they use their earnings to cater for their day-to-day living needs (Miller, 2010). There is still income gender inequality in Texas whereby the men get better salaries when compared to their women counterparts. In addition, in some industries whites get better pay when compared to people from other races but the gap is currently very small. According to Meeker (2015) only less than 7% of people living in Texas are poor.
Housing
The housing conditions in Texas are good as most of the people living in this area are medium-income earners. Though the state of Texas is densely populated, both the federal as well as the state government have ensured that the sewerage systems are maintained in perfect conditions. The types of houses the characterize Texas are both public houses as well as apartments. The public houses are mostly made for the low-income earners while the apartments are made for the rich such like managers of various corporations among other people. As of December 2015, the average rent for apartments was $1383. There is no shortage of low-income housing in Texas. Since there are few low-income earners in Texas, the few houses that the government has put have are enough for them.
Educational facilities and programs
Context
Texas followed the same education system as other parts of the US. The system of education is divided into primary, secondary and university or college education. The different levels of schools are divided into both private and public schools. The public schools are normally financed by the government while the parents cater for the fees of children in primary schools. The community is highly supportive of education in Texas. The community ensures that the schools are secured from any form of attack as well as reporting any harmful activity that may affect the schools for the relevant authorities (Knapp et al, 2011).
Treatment of special population of children
Children with special needs are well cared for in the different special education facilities. The education system has introduced preschool program that helps to prepare children before they enter the mainstream education system. Almost all the schools are situated in places which are near health facilities which can offer services to children who have development disabilities. Unlike many years back when there were schools for almost each ethnic group, today the education system is encouraging diversity whereby students from different ethnic backgrounds are schooling in the same institutions.
How the school systems helps the students achieve academically
Children from Texas normally score excellently in various standardized achievement tests when compared to children from other places in the US. In addition, students from various schools in Texas also compete well in co-curricular activities such as games and other events like science fairs among other competitions (Knapp et al, 2011).. Texas is among the leading states in the number of students who graduate from high schools and join colleges. Due to the high population, there are many high schools that produce many students to join universities in both US and abroad. The preschools provide students with solid foundation to prepare them for future endeavors. In 2014, the dropout rate in Texas was 6.6% (Hussar & Bailey, 2011).
The attention of the educational systems of the community to adult residents
Most of the parents in Texas are well-educated and therefore they are able to understand the development of their children. The educational programs are mostly based on practical application and therefore they help to prepare the students to enter workforce.
Health and welfare systems
There are enough number of health professionals and specialists in Texas. In addition, both clinics and hospitals are accessible by residents. Both the state and the county government have chipped in to ensure that the costs of accessing hospitals are less. The residents are adequately covered by both the private and public insurance programs. According to Kjos, Snowden & Olson (2009) a lot of attention is given to the prevention and treatment of such conditions that afflict the inner-city and poor people of color. There are various social programs that are available for both the rich and the poor. For example, VCT services are available in almost every town and market in Texas. The VCT among other social health programs are easily accessible and highly publicized. There is no or less racial segregation in Texas and therefore minority as well as other ethnic groups has no problems accessing the services. There are many non-English speaking groups and therefore translators exist to help where possible.
Social control and safety
Security is highly beefed in Texas. Though America is currently under the menace of public gun possession, the government of Texas has put various measures to ensure that the state is secured. The police and the judiciary system ensures peace and order is maintained.
Sources of information and public opinion
There are various TV and radio stations and newspapers which provide people with information. Some of the popular TV stations include; XELD-TV, KACV-TV, KBTX among others. The famous radio stations include KITY, KEOM, KILT among other radio stations. On the other hand, the most famous daily newspapers include The Dallas Morning News, San Antonio Express-News, and Focus Daily News among others. The newspapers, TV stations and radio stations inform people of whatever is happening within their locality. There are various local leaders who represent the people in grassroots and ensure that their issues are aired and addressed. People look up to these leaders for help and in case of any issues that they need to be addressed.
Summary assessment of community issues
References
Bls.gov,. (2016). Texas Economy at a Glance. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.tx.htm
Correa-Cabrera, G. (2012). The Spectacle of Drug Violence: Amesrican Public Discourse, Media, and Border Enforcement in the Texas-Tamaulipas Border Region During Drug-War Times. Norteamérica: Revista Académica Del CISAN-UNAM, 7(2), 199-220.
Eppley.org,. (2016). Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://eppley.org/?_kk=texas%20parks%20and%20recreations&_kt=4225a36a-f22c-4942-ae2a-39f2c336c103&gclid=CjwKEAiAova1BRDS15OXjcug_FMSJACWNAKZSJc8kbNwgvmYH93Z6A1-6JqtIReNu5alFT95GoNA6xoCDpjw_wcB
Hussar, W. J., & Bailey, T. M. (2011). Projections of Education Statistics to 2020. NCES 2011-026. National Center for Education Statistics.
Kjos, S. A., Snowden, K. F., & Olson, J. K. (2009). Biogeography and Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence of Chagas disease vectors in Texas, USA. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 9(1), 41-50.
Knapp, K. K., Manolakis, M., Webster, A. A., & Olsen, K. M. (2011). Projected growth in pharmacy education and research, 2010 to 2015. Am J Pharm Educ, 75(6), 108.
Laws, F. (2007). Bumper pumpkin crop on tap in Floyd County. Southwest Farm Press, 34(20), 16.
Meeker, M. (2015). Internet Trends 2015-Code Conference. Glokalde, 1(3).
Miller, N. (2010). How Property Rights Are Affected by the Texas-Mexico Border Fence: A Failure Due to Insufficient Procedure. Texas International Law Journal, 45(3), 631-654
Quickfacts.census.gov,. (2016). Texas QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48000.html
