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Iran supporting fight against ISIS

A letter to the editor published on Monday stated that the Islamic State is “backed by Iran.” Not true. Iran in fact has sent troops to Iraq who are fighting against the Islamic State as well as training some Iraqi soldiers to be better fighters. In Iraq the U.S. and Iran have a common enemy: ISIS. Horace Barker Hixson

Be proud of city over recent events

When something happens in Chattanooga that could cause several different reactions, I am happy to say we take the high road.

It seems like nothing surprises us in the news nowadays. Shootings, acts of terrorists, mishandling of all sorts end up in our newspapers and on our televisions. In other parts of the country, we have seen protests and riots as a reaction from something tragic.

Not in Chattanooga. We react like law-abiding citizens who love their country and respect their military and police who protect us but continue to be the target of some of these tragedies. During a time when there is talk of nationalizing our police forces and demonizing our troops for whatever reason, we still appreciate and respect them here.

With the recent tragic events in our great nation, there is a lesson to be learned from Chattanoogans. Our message to the world has been a very positive, respectful one. Trust in God and be grateful to be living in, still, the best city and best country in the world. God bless Chattanooga, Tenn., and God bless America. I am proud of you and am proud to be one of you. Monty Ownby

More teachers needed to boost test scores

This is a response to the Thursday Page One report on TCAP scores. First, although scores are a bit below the state average, they are decent considering the poverty rate and the skew effect of high private school attendance. A better comparison would be with urban counties like Davidson, Shelby or Knox. Poverty brings reduced reading comprehension, poorer social and academic skills, and home environments less conducive for study. Help for poverty communities must go far beyond schools, which are education institutions, not social services, police, financial or family advisers or life counselors. TCAP scores are the least of the problems of the poor, and quite honestly, are overemphasized.

Commissioner Tim Boyd stated that schools need to be run more like a business. However, it would be ludicrous to have medical boards without doctors or law boards without lawyers; teachers belong on the school board for the same reasons. If the goal is to maximize learning, then Mr. Boyd and other decision makers need to make sure funds are used to hire more teachers and teacher assistants to better educate children and help classroom management. Gary Furman Rossville

Americans should heed alarm clock

America and Congress, wake up. We are in a war, and not a shot has been fired. We are being invaded by other countries. We are losing our freedom, day by day, mandate by mandate.

Now our leader is going to bypass Congress and mandate his own laws. Where is our Constitution? Our leaders running for re-election are more interested in the Latino vote than our vote. Where is the Congress we elected to protect our freedom and our Constitution? They are sleeping and so are we; the difference is they are getting paid for it. The pay that we Americans are getting is a generation of children who will never know the America we once knew. This is not from a book but from my heart.

Please, Americans, wake up before it’s too late. The alarm clock is going off. Do you not hear it? Jim Rose

Signal Mountain