Posted on 08/26/2006 10:22:51 PM PDT by jdm
A new policy by Internet trading behemoth eBay that bans homeschool teachers' texts from its auctions is prompting a tirade of complaints from the company's faithful customers.
"Really the homeschooling community is a huge participant in eBay when you get to thinking about it," said one customer who was identified as "Angelwings" on an eBay blog. "We buy textbooks naturally but we also purchase items like microscopes, slides, globes, maps, manipulatives, educational games, reading books, supplies for our classrooms … stickers, idea books, folders, sheet protectors, school supplies, software, educational movies, models, post cards … the list is enormous."
The policy, which is inclusive of all teachers' texts, was made known recently as those who were auctioning various books watched as their postings were deleted.
Another homeschooler on the blog said she questioned eBay when her listings were cancelled.
"They told me that it fell under their heading of 'illegal, dangerous, offensive, or potentially infringing,'" she said. "What are they thinking? I have a mess of curriculum here that I can't sell, and needing money from it to buy curriculum for the new school year."
The response from the company was posted for others to see.
"As you may know, eBay does not permit items that are illegal, dangerous, offensive, or potentially infringing. Additionally, eBay has just recently made the decision to prohibit the sale of Teacher's Editions of textbooks and solutions manuals that are intended solely for use by teachers. Since eBay strives to be a level-playing field, all Teacher's Edition textbooks, manuals and guides will be covered under this policy. Unfortunately, home schooling Teacher's Editions are not exempt from this policy and this policy will apply to all grade levels."
The company continued that those products often contain "special answer keys, exams, teaching tips, and guides."
And, it noted, "multiple organizations and publishers have voiced their concern to us over such books that may only be purchased through educational institutions by teachers."
"Where do they get off telling me that I don't have the right to buy, sell, or own a teacher's manual??? How could I teach my children without it???" another blogger asked.
Still another reported having a few 2006 teachers' edition textbooks for college classes pulled from the site.
"Now I'm stuck with them," the writer said.
"We are a major buying and selling force on eBay & once I got to thinking of all the things we purchase just for ourselves and our school it's amazing," said Angelwings. "I'm in the same boat as many of you….I've got three grade levels of books here I need to sell in order to purchase our supplies for next year."
WorldNetDaily did not get an immediate response from eBay about the situation. The website accepts e-mail questions but responds in 24-48 hours.
Its website explanation is straightforward.
"Teacher's editions of textbooks and solutions manuals that are intended solely for use by teachers are not permitted by eBay."
And it notifies users that "listing cancellation, forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings, limits on account privileges, account suspension" are all possible results.
"As a homeschooler I believe this directly discriminates against me since I have used Ebay numerous times to both buy and sell homeschool curricula. As a budget conscious homeschooling mother I like to buy used materials as often as possible. This means buying the teacher's materials used on Ebay and purchasing new workbooks directly from the publisher or distributor," Dana wrote.
eBay did offer a recourse for further concerns:
"We appreciate the fact that you may disagree with eBay's decision to establish this policy. If you would like to see these policies change, or have suggestions on how to make the site better, you may want to submit your feelings by completing the form at the following URL."
eBay's overview of prohibited items includes animals, artifacts, autographed items, academic software, bootleg recordings, credit cards, drugs and paraphernalia, government IDs, lockpicking devices, human remains, police-related items, used clothing and used cosmetics, among others.
One blogger noted that public school interests have been opposing homeschooling more and more, as homeschooling as grown substantially in recent years. Recent estimates have put homeschool attendance in the U.S. at more than 2.5 million. And the same comment noted book publishers also dislike having the products re-sold.
A public school teacher defended the policy, saying she cannot get a teacher's edition from a publisher unless she provides proof of her teaching employment. "It is quite costly for publishers to research and develop curricula and it is copyrighted."
But there also are other auctions that do allow the sale of homeschool texts. One location, which does require purchasers to be 18, is Schoolbookauction.com. Another one is Homeschoolbid.com and observers said there are many more available through an Internet search.
The Home School Legal Defense Association said it was aware of the situation.
"We have received many complaints about the eBay policy and we are actively working on a solution," Media Relations Director Ian Slatter told WND. That group is the largest organization of homeschoolers in the United States, with more than 80,000 member families.
Ain' no way to cheat on those!
ROTFL! ;-)
ebay is only selling an "idea" that EVERYTHING you want is at ebay.
If people soon realize that only LIMITED things are at ebay then it will leat to a spreading to other websites equally ready to sell those limited items.
This is just plain stupid. I think what is really going on is that teachers are again being scared of being exposed as stupid.
As annoying as this may be, eBay has the right to ban whatever they like. Homeschoolers can always boycott eBay and start their own auction site, or use a competitor.
QUALIFIED??? For what sane reason does a parent need to be QUALIFIED to have access to teaching materials? Are they dangerous to handle? Can they harm someone with them?
May only the ordained and sanctified know the secrets contained in these tomes of knowledge? Are the great unwashed masses simply unable to understand the complexities?
So does the internet!!
Beyond that - it is the teacher's / parent's job to ensure that thier children are learning instead of cheating - not a Bool Store's, an internet auction site, a reseller, the government's or anybody else!
If a widespread public messgage of disapproval causes ebay to reverse their policy, then I would say that there was most certianly a logical reason to "jump" on ebay. If people who were unaware of Ebay's policy hear this message and choose not to patronize ebay, then there was a logical reason to "jump" on ebay. There is no legal issue, but I don't think there has been one post about this being illegal. Just because a company has a right to do something, doesn't mean the public at large has to approve the action.
So now that a logical reason has been explained to you (using small words)... perhaps your faith in homeschool logic and civis can be restored.
Howdy, Tired Of Taxes. I posted your homeschool thread on my post above. I registered for This Little Piggy yesterday. Have several purchases that will total over $200.00 in the next month, money Ebay won't see, but that's their loss, and Piggy's gain.
The teacher editions for all the textbooks currently used by public schools in my state are available in every university library that has a teacher education program. Ebay acts like they are protecting the answers to the SAT or GRE tests. The rationale for not selling these books is just ridiculous, in my opinion.
We may have sold/bought from each other! :O)
All kinds of HS texts on sale at eBAY right now...
I stopped using ebay months ago.
Because ebay is so paranoid about us users talking to each others, they have blocked any and all email between users unless there is an actual auction running by one of the parties writing.
I used to research my sellers by looking at their feddback, and then writing the previous buyers that that seller had sold too. EBAY NOW HAS BLOCKED THAT. I cannot make a properly researched purchase anymore.
I have no reason to use ebay anymore.
Can I hear boycott?
keepsakevideoct
For a good homeschool curriculum swap, go to
http://theswap.com/cgi-bin/dcads/dcads.cgi
It's the internet's original homeschool curriculum swap. :D
Went to E-Bay, plenty of text books and home schooling material for sale.
Boycott eBay.
Sorry about being huffy.
Yes, you are right, the fees are just too much nowdays to bother selling anything on eBay anymore. I still get rid of a few things sitting around the house now and then through their site but certainly not like I used to.
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