PEF Teacherpreneur Incubator a success and other letters to the editors

PEF Teacherpreneur Incubator a success

Community, schools, teachers and students are fortunate to have the Public Education Foundation (PEF) as a champion in the Chattanooga area. PEF and its staff members, Keri Randolph and Laren Deason Wade, are to be applauded for connecting educators to the entrepreneurial spirit with the Teacherpreneur Incubator. It was a great day when PEF, Benwood Foundation and HCDE agreed to spur teachers to create, develop, present and implement innovative projects. Recognizing teachers' abilities and funding their efforts opened the door for increased collaboration in the future. Over half of the 60 proposals advanced to the second round of refining ideas with a plethora of professional advice and encouragement. Over half were given initial funding! The original commitment by PEF to help all the proposals with ongoing facilitation of support opportunities is continuing through the efforts of the staff. I look forward to celebrating with the participants as these ideas take shape and impact our schools. Everyone who is concerned for public schools should thank representatives from PEF, HCDE and the Benwood Foundation for opening a great resource of ideas and cooperation for teachers and students in our area.

BRYAN PHILLIPS, Hixson


God to David Cook: Stop blaspheming

God to David Cook (Sept 10): Stop bearing false witness against thy neighbor. Love George Zimmerman and the Ferguson police as thyself. Gunless Michael Brown was armed: 6 feet 4 and 300 pounds. Gunless football player Trayvon Martin was armed, beating George Zimmerman's head into the ground. If you killed someone, would you want such things taken into account? Yes, black lives matter. Michael Brown's and Trayvon Martin's. And in the womb where I formed you. And in the hood and in Africa, where they send one another to my judgment. And in the godless schools my people are taxed to pay for instead of having freedom to choose home or any other education. And when fornication is subsidized. And in the market where crony capitalists get rulers to "make the ephah small, and the shekel great," smothering competition and paying people not to work. Stop blaspheming by saying everything somehow adds up to your god (Aug 8). By your own doctrine, the Gulag God-deniers and the ISIS son-deniers are part of your god doing its work just as you do. Repent, dude!

ANDREW LOHR


Answers wanted on Ferguson letter

This is in response to Pearl Rand's letter: Mrs. Rand, there are several things I would like for you to do in order for me to more clearly grasp the point you were trying to make. First, I would love to know how you can justify shooting an unarmed man six times (and according to the medical examiner, twice in the head) for charges that are, with the exception of assault on an officer, misdemeanors. Second, explain how this was the only option available to an officer whose department looked as if it was ready to invade a small country rather than disperse a group of protesters who assembled in outcry to this abuse of authority. You would think stun guns and pepper spray would have been available. Third, I want you to realize that following the law, staying out of trouble and living clean, wholesome lives is applicable to everyone, not just African-Americans. Finally, I want you to name one incident where President Obama has caused racial conflict. You must be specific on this one. Until you are able to do these things, I will take the contents of your letter for what they are: racist and stupid.

BRIAN S. LAKE, Rossville

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