The Future Might Still Hold Room For A Public Law School In The Texas Rio Grande Valley

I certainly hope so.

According to Texas Lawyer's Tex Parte Blog, although the Texas Legislature passed on establishing a public law school in that region this session all was not lost.  The Legislature did agree to fund a study.  In an amendment the House added to S.B. 936, which authorized the establishment of the University of North Texas College of Law in Dallas, Texas, also requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study the need and feasibility of establishing a public law school in areas that do not have a law school, including the Texas-Mexico border region.  S.B. 936 requires the board to deliver results of the study to the chairmen of each Legislative committee with jurisdiction over higher education by Nov. 1, 2010.

The Texas Rio Grande Valley is not actually a valley.  It is a delta or floodplain.  Early settlers from Mexico thought the term "Valley" or "El Valle" sounded more inviting.  It is called "El Magico Valle del Rio Grande" or "The Magical Valley of the Rio Grande" -- RGV for short.

The RGV represents the southermost tip of South Texas, which separates Mexico from the United States.  Over 80% of the residents of the Valley are referred to a number of different ways including "Spanish, "Tajano, "Hispanic" or "Latino".  The area is a way point for tourists seeking to visit Mexico.

One of the most important people from the area that I remember was Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., who was the former popular U.S. Senator, presidential candidate, vice presidential nominee and Secretary of the Treasury.  But, other probably think of more popular stars like musician Freddy Fender, Chicago Bears football player Roberto Garza, or actor and singer Kris Kristofferson.  All, when you think about it, have strong and memorable personalities.

The Valley's economy is very reliant on agribusiness, including citrus and vegetables, and along with South Padre Island tourism is big.  It is a very popular Winter tourist destination for residents from the Midwest United States and  Canada.  Wildlife is abundant.

The goal in the Legislature was generally to get a public law school approved for The University of Texas at Brownsville.  And, it is needed not as much because we need more public law school seats in Texas (and we do), but because this area is rich in culture, rich in diversity, and it has no law school to train lawyers to appreciate and reflect this for the State of Texas.  It would be nice to have a law school that reflects the personalities, ambitions and aspirations of those in this area of the country.

(The University Of Texas Brownsville campus is pictured).

Comments

[Marc Meyer]

I find it interesting that they plan on opening the law school in the building where Jack Ruby was shot. Interesting how history has a way of intruding in the present.

Marc

[Tyler Hawkes]

I lived in the Valley for two years and loved it. The area is very different from any other place in the US and a law school here would serve a large number of young people who grow up there and could utilize a school close to home and family.