‘Pickpockets’ should not win
I recently read an English translation of a Plato discourse which included the following:
“… there are three types of people in life, as in the games. There are heroes, who take part, and enjoy the glories of victory. There are the spectators, who stand and observe. And there are the pickpockets.”
Let us hope that we all take part in the games on Nov. 2, even some who are normally spectators, so that the pickpockets don’t win again.
GENE ROGERS
Elect Haynes to get new voice
Hixson residents are ready for a change and a new voice on our school board.
When there are controversial decisions made by the school board, I seem to always agree with Rhonda Thurman. She seems to stand alone but she stands tall. We now have an opportunity to elect another voice of reason, Marty Haynes.
We should all step back and look at the big picture. Enrollment and test scores in Hamilton County schools continue to decline. More and more students are dropping out of school. Parents who can afford to send their kids to private schools do so in search of a better education and safe environment.
We can all agree that the public school system needs help, but more dollars will not make our students smarter nor our schools safer.
We need to see an increase in test scores, not in the budget. We need school board members who can say “No” to budget increases and require complete details of where the dollars are currently being spent.
Your vote for Marty Haynes on Aug. 5 can be our first step to saying no to excessive spending on the road to nowhere.
KATHY LEFF
Hixson
Behler can bring positive change
Gary Behler has long worked for positive change in Chattanooga. He has fresh ideas to bring positive change to the operations of the Juvenile Court clerk’s office.
Behler wants to focus on increased fiscal responsibility, introduce new technologies to improve efficiencies, and place an added emphasis on customer service so the public will have a positive relationship with the court system.
Gary was my direct supervisor for 13 years when he was director of program services at Bethel Bible Village. He has the ability to bring out the best in his staff and motivate them to do their work with excellence. In that role, he worked tirelessly overseeing my efforts to gain reaccreditation for Bethel with the Council on Accreditation — a grueling 18-month process.
With Gary as my mentor, I gained valuable skills and knowledge. He exhibited patience and understanding and often reminded me that we would accomplish this huge task by “eating the elephant one bite at a time.”
In this same way, I believe Gary can and will bring about the changes he proposes to this important office. I urge you to elect Gary Behler as Juvenile Court clerk when you go to the polls!
SHARON MANSELL
Hixson