Posted on 06/09/2005 3:04:14 PM PDT by Taft in '52
A textbook case of stupidity:
Assembly's call for 200-page-limit on student reading matter is beyond folly
By HUGH GLENN
The Anaheim resident is an education consultant and online editor who lives in Anaheim.Efforts to dumb down California public schools continue unabated. The most recent action is the Assembly passing AB 756, a bill by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg that would prevent school districts from using any instructional material that exceeds 200 pages. Assemblyman Keith Richman calls it "ridiculous" and "the epitome of micromanagement." Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction, surprisingly, has remained silent. Astoundingly, 42 legislators (including Orange County's Tom Umberg) approved AB 756 - a vote so dumb that Gov. Schwarzenegger now looks like Socrates and Solomon rolled into one.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
Can't find the article at the link.
California is on the brink of ecconomic disaster because of the politics of complete Morons like this woman(?). The Politicians in this state waste there time on stupidity like this to avoid the real issues.
(/bitter sarcasm)
Books have wide margins because the publishers can use the same binding for both the teacher and student versions. In the teachers edition, there are notes, additional info, answers to questions (!), etc. in the teacher's margin.
Also, textbook publishers would love a 200-page limit. Then they would break the text into 3 or 4 volumes. When they do that, they charge a heap for the books. Example: 800-page book, $80. Four 200-page books, $35 each. And those would be paperback. For hard binding, probably $50 each. Cha-ching! I bet some legislator has contacts with the publishers. As they say, follow the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
It's NOT about kids poor backs they care about.
If it's not about the weight of books to be carried in backpacks, there is no justification for it. If it is about the weight, as long as all of the content is contained in the necessary multiple volumes, I wouldn't have a problem with the change.
You're probably correct. There is no way that a paperback should cost $35.
In third place behind the insurance industry and lawyers come the textbook thieves.
How did you get the two dozen section headers on there? Table of contents...purpose for the document...references...version...update liability...retention specification...document change authorization...applicability notifications...interface references...
I know there are lots more sections...just can't remember them all now. :)
I think in the near future textbooks will be provided in other media such as CD's or other computer media. Portable notebook computers will become cheap enough for every student to have one, then there will be no need to print these textbooks. Should save a lot of money...of course those who profit from the current system will go kicking and screaming all the way.
There's also no way a textbook should cost $80-135 for high school math and science. But they do. The material covered is almost exactly the same when a "new" edition comes out. They just fiddle with chapters. A two-volume hardcover version might come in at about 2/3 the price each.
Now they are starting to offer the books on CD. SAME price as the hardcover.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Think of how much easier geometry would be "for the children".
Yes, I like pi being 3. It is the same number of parents each kid will be mandated to have (one hetero female, one lesbian female, and one transvestite), so that will be nice. "Heather Has Three Parents!"
I agree. The material covered is almost exactly the same when a "new" edition comes out. They just fiddle with chapters. A two-volume hardcover version might come in at about 2/3 the price each.
I thought they slipped in a bit more of the the leftist dogma with each new edition. No?
Now they are starting to offer the books on CD.
I like that. I like it a lot.
SAME price as the hardcover.
This I do not like. It's outrageous.
Remember when the price of sugar went up and the raised the price of (pop, soda, soda pop, carbonated beverages, or whatever you want to call them) went up. But the sugar-free went up the same amount!
looked but couldn't find this on their site...
The link is not to the article, just to the OC Register's website. I did not find the article in a site search.
The bill itself is here:
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_756_cfa_20050503_111342_asm_comm.html
They no longer trust students to go to their lockers, except first thing in the morning & last thing at the end of the day.
You should see what goes on inside of a school buildings these days. I had to pick one of my kids for an appointment & got caught in the middle of a practice lock down. They locked me in the office & called his classroom, to have him brought down. As we left the school police were coming in the front door with rifles & dogs. This was a short time *before* Columbine.
Does the bill say anything about font size? I can print a dozen bibles on a matchbook cover if the font size doesn't matter
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