FL HB-21 bill aims to study status of black men

Black boys and men in America face tremendous challenges. A state legislator, Frank Peterman, Jr., wants the state to research the status of black Florida males

By Starr Washington / Florida Courier

A Florida House Of Representatives criminal justice subcommittee unanimously approved a bill, HB-21, to establish a Council on the Social Status of African-American Men and Boys. The council will study conditions affecting African-American men and boys 'including, but not limited to, the homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates, poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual income levels, school performance in all grade levels including post secondary levels and health issues,' according to the bill.

"You look at the numbers and tell me if African-American men aren't on the bottom of the totem pole. Is this just another way of throwing taxpayers' money at another problem? I don't see it that way. Of the top five issues we have to deal with, it's probably the most important. It affects health insurance costs. It affects hospital emergency room overcrowding. It affects public safety. For everybody," said Rep. Frank Peterman, Jr., D-St. Petersburg, who authored the bill.

Coincidentally, a New York Times article entitled 'Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn' received wide Internet circulation in Black America this week, and bears out Peterman's conclusions. The story identified studies already done by Columbia University, Princeton University, and Harvard University that focused on the life patterns of young African-American males. The studies all indicated that "… (a) huge pool of poorly educated black men are becoming ever more disconnected from the mainstream society, and to a far greater degree than comparable white or Hispanic men."

Black Floridians may know that black men generally face serious challenges. Still, the national statistics are sobering. A 2003 U.S. Department of Justice report revealed that more than 9 percent of all black males ages 26 to 29 were in prison. Homicide is the leading cause of death for black males between the ages of 15 and 34. The American Council on Education reports that for the past decade, graduation rates for black males have declined 43 percent nationwide.

The studies cited by the New York Times indicate that in America's inner cities, "finishing high school is the exception, legal work is scarcer than ever and prison is almost routine, with incarceration rates climbing for blacks even as urban crime rates have declined." These and other grim statistics are reasons why Peterman believes the bill should be implemented. "I would like to see us implement some strong, stopgap measures in the years to come, and look at some solutions that will be uncomfortable for people in the establishment," Peterman said.

Peterman, who is also development coordinator for a nonprofit juvenile services program, knows that he's stepping foot in murky water by standing behind HB-21. He knows that he runs the risk of angering blacks who have grown tired of being depicted negatively in the media.

You can follow the progress of Peterman's bill by looking it up on the Internet at http://www.leg.state.fl.us. Click on the House of Representatives seal, go to 'Find A Bill By Number', and enter the bill number in the blank space.