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Inventory of the Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility Records
R390
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Title: Task Force to Promote Self-esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility Records
Dates: 1986-1990
Collection number: R390
Creator:
Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility
Collection Size:
5.5 cubic feet of textual records
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility was established by Statutes 1986, Chapter 1065
(AB3659, Vasconcellos) as a three year, twenty-five-member task force to investigate the effect self-esteem has on society.
The Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility Records consists of five and one-half cubic feet
of textual material and five cubic feet of audiovisual material covering the years 1987-1990.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility Records, R390.[Series Number],
[box and folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility Records
according to state law.
The Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility was established by Statutes 1986, Chapter 1065
(AB3659, Vasconcellos) as a three year, twenty-five-member task force to investigate the effect self-esteem has on society.
The task force lasted from 1987 to 1989 and released its final report, Toward a State of Esteem, in 1990. Assembly member
John Vasconcellos and Senator Art Torres were ex facto members.
In the 1987-1988 session the State Assembly passed ACR 64 and ACR 65, both authored by John Vasconcellos. ACR 64 recommended
the creation of self-esteem task forces at the county level and over forty-five counties responded by creating task forces
that mirrored the statewide task force. ACR 65 called on state agencies to cooperate and communicate with the Task Force
to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility.
In order to pursue its mandate, the task force consisted of five committees: executive; media and communications; public involvement;
resources; and program quality. The various committees aided in creating the final report and in coordinating public meetings
and hearings. The Assembly enacted the task force as a cost-effective means of reducing and eliminating social problems. After
publishing the final report, the State Legislature did not create a replacement task force or extend the mandate.
The task force held nine public meetings:
March 4, 1988 in San JoseMay 20, 1988 in FresnoAugust 26, 1988 in San DiegoSeptember 26, 1988 in San FranciscoOctober 12, 1988 in Humboldt CountyFebruary 2, 1988 in Orange CountyMarch 2, 1988 in Long BeachMarch 16,1988 in Los AngelesApril 11, 1988 in Sacramento.
The Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility Record consists of five and one-half cubic feet
of textual material and five cubic feet of audiovisual material covering the years 1987-1990. The collection is organized
into fourteen series: Publications, Final Report Files, Committee Files, County Task Force Files, Member Files, Meeting Packet
Files, Meeting Files, "Think Tank" Files, ACR Files, Statewide Task Force Public Hearing Files, "Esteem" Back Issues, Press
Files, Correspondence, and State Agency Correspondence. The textual records contain primarily correspondence, memorandum,
minutes, newspaper articles, reports, and meeting notes. Audiovisual materials are of hearings and meetings. The scope of
the Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility records cover the three-year period of the task
force's existence and its investigation into self-esteem as a social issue. Topics include self-esteem research, committee
activities, task force communication with the county task forces and with other state agencies, creating the final report,
and promoting self-esteem as a legitimate state expense.
The files reflect ambivalence on self-esteem's affect on society. Task force members disagreed on the definition of self-esteem
so completely that the task force set up a definition committee to evaluate the task force's various working definitions and
create a more agreeable definition. To further help define self-esteem, the task force members contacted experts who were
not associated with task force's work. One of the most contentious areas was how much personal responsibility was involved
in self-esteem. Some members argued that self-esteem could not exist without someone taking personal responsibility for their
actions while others argued that personal responsibility could only be achieved after someone developed positive self-esteem.
Another area of disagreement was the role of family and faith in developing self-esteem. While some task force members viewed
faith and the family as the original sources of positive self-esteem, others view society as the starting point of self-esteem.
This fundamental disagreement on the definition of self-esteem lasted until the final report, which contains several dissenting
or minority opinions relating to the final report's content.
No further accruals are expected.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem, and Personal and Social Responsibility
Self-esteem
Self-esteem Religious aspects