The Blaisdell Blog

  The state of Texas’ Teachers Vacancy Task Force has issued a hopeful and ambitious report on how to save public education in this state.  But neither the state nor the public should stop reading at the “…state must pay teachers more…” part of the headline.  The real problem is deeper and much more complicated than addressing teacher pay.  Quite frankly, if increasing pay was the answer to the problem we could shout “Hallelujah” cough up the money and be done with it.  Unfortunately, simple solutions only work for simple problems and simple minds.  We have neither here.             There are other occupations (like law enforcement and nursing) that also need more money to attract and maintain the best people, but I know nothing about those professions.  I know a boat load about teaching.  I taught for 30 years.  I was a principal and an adjunct college professor and won awards in every one of those fields.  I also co-authored a science text for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill and wrote a book fo

  On April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the 2500 mile trek to California.   Almost half of the 87 men, women and children of the Donner-Reed party were doomed before the first revolution of the wheels.   The group of emigrants was led by James Fraser Reed.   He was influenced in his decisions by a book, The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California, written by Landsford W. Hastings.   The book touted a new route, referred to as the, “Hastings’ Cutoff.”   This route was supposed to save almost 400 miles and be over easy terrain.   In fact, the route had never been traveled, by Hastings.   His book was a fraud—a moral if not a legal crime—and he misled his readers intentionally.               Certainly, some of the blame falls on Donner and Reed.   Common sense should tell us that a route 400 miles shorter and easier than the one currently being used would be the rule, rather than the exception.               When the group arrived in Ft. Laramie, W

    With Super Bowl Sunday upon us, it is time for me to become conversant in football.   Perhaps a bit of background is in order.   There were no sports played, discussed or promoted in my house.   My father did watch the Wednesday and Friday night fights and I, being the tom-boy in the family, watched with him.   I was probably the only nine year old girl in Denver who knew what a 10 point must scoring system was.   But boxing has long ago lost its charm. That leaves me with trying to catch up to football.   It will be a stretch.   I once commented that when it came to football, I was lucky to know there were ten men on a side—only to find out there are eleven.   Whoops!   But I am intelligent and know how to dissect complex things.   The theory of relatively makes sense to me, how challenging can football be?   Right? [Pride goeth before the destruction; and a haughty spirit before the fall.   Proverbs 16-18] In a sensible and well-constructed battle plan I star

  The bumper sticker said it all: This car stops for all blonds, but it will back up for a red head.               From the red gold hair of Elizabeth I of England, to the strawberry blonde of Nicole Kidman, the distinctive auburn of Rita Hayworth, the subtle red/brunette fusion of Susan Sarandon or the “golden apricot” (a fire-red copper) that was Lucille Ball’s trademark until her death, a mass of red hair always merits comment.   Part of this attention comes from its rarity.   As a natural occurrence, red hair appears in only about 2 of every 100 people.   It is the product of a recessive trait, that means it only appears if both parents offer the gene to the child they produce.   But being recessive does not mean absent.   Recessive genes are always part of the gene pool though they are overwhelmed by dominant genes whenever those are present.   There are lots of recessive traits that show themselves everywhere.   Blue eyes are recessive, but two brown-eyed parents can have a