We're pleased about how far we've come in giving all the members of our society an equal opportunity. But I can't help wondering what Dr. King might think of the way we've chosen to remember him. But I also don't want us to get too comfortable. I want to remind us that there are other areas where critical changes need to occur. I want to talk about the children in our society.
Every child deserves the opportunity to be successful.
Since 1983, teen homicide is up 300 percent, and among African American, teens' gunfire is the leading cause of death. Teen-age suicides are up 300 percent since 1970, and 50 percent of teens say they have no role model. Texas is second in the nation in teen pregnancy. Let's take a look at our schools. In the Abilene Independent School District, more than 50 percent of the children live in single-parent households.