TeleRead and the textbook shortage
Schools are tossing out perfectly good textbooks because publishers force them to do this. So says D. June Fredman, a tutor, in a letter to the Washington Post. K-12 needs, of course, are a big reason why TeleRead advocates a well-stocked national digital library system–full of appropriate books for all of us, but especially for schoolchildren. Let the online collection suit their interests and learning styles.
Meanwhile, in her much-needed letter in today’s Post, Ms. Fredman, a resident of Gresham, Oregon, writes:
I tutor a few youngsters from a district that cannot afford texts. My students bring single sheets of copied material by way of assignments, often with instructions to refer to a manual or text that isn’t available. By contrast, in more well-heeled districts, schools routinely throw away used texts, some in pristine condition. My inquiry revealed that textbook publishers require their customers to sign a contract promising not to give away their purchased books.
Not only is this an unconscionable waste, it also punishes kids from low-income areas. I have been a student, I have been the mother of students, and I have taught. I know the value of having books from which to study at home at one’s own pace, to use for review and reinforcement of information gleaned orally. This practice should be stopped.
All good points! Let’s stop the mandatory toss-outs of used books. In subjects like science, geography and modern history, however, up-to-date books can help. Via TeleRead, students wouldn’t just have textbooks, period–they could benefit from the very freshest ones, thanks to the Net and e-book technology. What’s more, with a National Digital Library Fund, gaps would be narrower between the resources of rich and poor school districts.
Reminder: Textbooks are hardly the only K-12 issue that TeleRead could address. In Indiana, Dr. Jack Humphrey, director of the Middle Grades Reading Network, has written of the relationship between academic quality and a healthy focus on reading–including the availability of enough library books.
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