The Gatesville State School for Boys

The Gatesville State School for Boys or simply gatesville was a word that conjured up bad thoughts in the hearts and minds of boys all over Texas. A facility in an area of Texas with a 120 year history of perpetrating crimes of physical, sexual, mental and verbal abuse on the throw away kids of Texas. This blog is here to share the state boys story. c/s

Sunday, September 4, 2011

So what’s in a name change???

The state of Texas must feel that when an agency goes rouge it can simply change its name to protect the states perpetrators. Texas legislators have made it a practice to change the name of the state youth corrections agency when the public is made aware of what really goes on behind their walls, and how far up the chain of command this knowledge is known. According to this link,

In 1919 the 36th Legislature created the Texas State Board of Control (Senate Bill 147, Regular Session). The legislation directed the Board of Control to take over management of the state juvenile training school, abolishing the Board of Trustees. The school was renamed the Gatesville State School for Boys in 1939. In 1949, the State Youth Development Council (later named the Texas Youth Council) took over management of the school (House Bill 705, 51st Legislature, Regular Session).

Well State Boys with this latest tyc scandal the agency will have yet another name change. The previously known Texas Youth counsel, formally known as the Texas Youth commission will be known on 12/01/2011 as the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. 120+ years of state sponsored child abuse and covered till the next big public scandal, uh I mean “name change”.
In 1971 a class-action lawsuit was brought against the Texas Youth Council on behalf of juvenile defenders (Morales vs. Turman). This led to sweeping changes in the Texas juvenile justice system. The presiding federal judge, Judge William Wayne Justice, ordered the closing of the state schools at Gatesville (boys) and Gainesville (girls). The Gatesville State School for Boys closed in 1979. The Texas Youth Commission (Texas Youth Council was renamed the Texas Youth Commission in 1983) today manages several facilities throughout the state for juvenile offenders.
And many of you comment about the times leading up to this classic law suit that changed the name from the Texas Youth counsel to the Texas Youth commission.