Oklahoma elected a State School superintendent who has a
workable reform program but is being hamstrung by the State
Board of education's good old boys who were used to rubber
stamping whatever was proposed and then having a nice box
lunch. Janet Barresi is smart and vocal and the first meeting ended in shouting and disagreement. They refused to
okay two members of her staff because they said they were
not qualified. One is a lawyer with a Juris Doctorate. They quibbled that he lacked a M.S. in education. They called the pregnant member of her staff worthless because
she had to take time off to have her baby but eventually
approved her. She will raise the money to pay the two
members they wouldn't approve herself.

Fortunately she is militant enough to force a showdown and
House Speaker Chris Steele says they will investigate the
role of the State Board of Education and this should cause
significant reforms. It tickles me to death. When I worked
I had a number of friends in the State Department of Education. Believe me, they had it easy. I'll bet those
days are long gone. She is very capable but looks to me
as if she has a gift for rubbing people the wrong way. I am
not excusing those old boys and education reform cannot start until they have a good shaking up.

Today, it is a heavenly 76 degrees but due to get cold tomorrow and ice and snow and a blizzard will be here
Tuesday. I watered all my poor plants today because we
are having a severe draught.

I am having friends over for dinner tomorrow night but it
will be easy. I am just having salad and lasagna. I made
a cherry cheese cake for dessert. Ellie just asked us over
for hamburgers but we had already eaten. I started to make
rolls but decided it was too much trouble and we will have
garlic bread.