Let voters decide marriage issue
Amid all the considerable and constant issues about same-sex marriage, instead of having our courts thoroughly bullied, why not put the issue to a vote, as we do the president? Put to a vote, same-sex marriage would be eliminated, period.
Lela Woodburn, Cleveland, Tenn.
Keep the rigorous academic standards
Gov. Bill Haslam made a significant investment in the future of Tennesseans when he signed the Tennessee Promise program into law. It will open doors for thousands to get the education needed to start careers and find good-paying jobs. Forecasts show such training will be needed to succeed in a world where nearly 54 percent of available jobs will require some form of higher education. Tennessee Promise has the potential to be a game-changer for many Tennesseans. However, the program’s success hinges on how prepared the students are to succeed. At issue is that past K-12 standards were not adequately aligned with the needs of higher education and college- or career-preparedness. In the last four years, Tennessee has adopted higher educational standards for K-12, standards developed with input from teachers and college professors. Results from these standards led to recognition for the state having the nation’s highest gains in reading and math scores. We at Chattanooga State want to see every student successfully achieve a degree or certificate. By staying the course with rigorous K-12 standards and implementing new student assessments that measure college readiness, we can achieve these goals.