Thurman: Quit fighting, lose war
The writer of the Friday letter, "Students must win," has a few facts wrong. I never said I sent my daughter to a private school because Hamilton County Schools were in "bad shape." The elementary school my daughter attended, Wallace Smith, was excellent. I don't think she could have gotten a better elementary education in any county private school.
However, the "new math" was a game-changer. My husband and I decided to send our now 27-year-old daughter to a private school because of the Everyday Math and Connected Math programs adopted when she was in the fifth grade. I went to every district trying to rally parents against what was going to happen if the new math was implemented - and I was right. Our current math scores reflect the damage. For the last 12 years, I have been fighting to get back to basic math. I also was right about the literacy programs we have been using; our reading scores reflect that as well.
The letter writer thinks I should quit fighting the administration because you have to "lose the battle to win the war." When you quit fighting, you lose the battle and you lose the war.
Rhonda Thurman
Vote Lennon for new leadership
Voters of District 2 have the opportunity to send a new representative to the Hamilton County Board of Education. I recommend Kathy Lennon for this important position.
Ms. Lennon currently works as a business executive with a successful and well-known nonprofit organization and has extensive experience in education. She began her teaching career in 1987 after receiving her degree in religious studies and has taught students at every level from elementary to high school.
I have known Ms. Lennon and her family for about 30 years. She is hard-working, intelligent and strongly motivated by a genuine desire to improve the quality of public education in Hamilton County.
I encourage my friends in District 2 to vote for Kathy Lennon during early voting (July 15-30) or on Election Day (Aug. 4).
David Brownlee
Ooltewah
Clinton free? Pardon Petraeus
Since the Clintons are above the law, we should at least restore some justice for this nation. The least we can do is to start a campaign to pardon Gen. Petraeus for committing a much less egregious crime than Hillary with her illegal and unprotected email server. If Mrs. Clinton is exonerated, surely Petraeus should have his conviction overturned!
Grady B. Nichols
Signal Mountain