Recently in the Dallas Morning News there was an article written by Katherine Leal Unmuth about textbooks in Garland ISD....the link below ..... you will find the article in full.

http://www.quickdfw.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/032609dnmettextbooks.3a33d62.html

The article points out the path of textbooks and the growing problem with publishers bundling the textbooks and on-line access to these books. Publishers force the school district to purchase textbooks if they want to have access to on-line content. Is this more money for the publishers? I doubt it is any of consequence. Teachers in the classroom keep about 30 books in the classroom as reference books but students are not given their own book to use during the school year. It appears the teachers are concerned that the books will not be taken care of. The books are stored away!

Follow up:

Students are issued a computer and on-line access to the textbook. Clearly, the students have proven to take care of their computers so why is there a concern if they will take care of their book?

Personally, the ability to have on-line access to the book as well as the ability to use a textbook are equally appealing. We would all agree that there are many types of learners in our school systems. Both textbooks and on-line access to the information should be available to the student if they wish to have access to both forms of the information especially, if there are textbooks in storage.

Students attending public school have a right to an adequate education. The internet now plays a huge role in textbook curriculum and development of the materials for students. So what is adequate now? Textbooks or on-line access? Or both?

Textbook developers printing books seems to have a product that is less desirable now than before when the internet was in an infancy stage.... now rich internet content is expected.... but textbooks are not totally irrelevant. There is great learning that can still take place with a traditional book in hand. Don't forget that with test taking and standardized tests still given in traditional format... using paper and pencil would suggest that book study would still prove to be an asset in preparing for such events as written tests.

It seems now that our state congress will now engage in the debate of what to do with excess textbooks. No book should be housed in storage. Books must be available to students as a resource tool. If a district has too many books, then the excess books should be sold back to the publisher for distribution to other educational markets. Textbooks should not be left to age in storage ~ for sure..... I love the slogan "A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste".... so is a good book!