Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: wrag on April 29, 2008, 01:59:50 PM

Title: School books
Post by: wrag on April 29, 2008, 01:59:50 PM
So this is where all the *%@# in the school books comes from...............

http://mensnewsdaily.com/2008/04/29/new-york-times-attacking-textbook-makers-veiled-attack-on-capitalism/

maybe these people that are putting all the political stuff in the books should be removed or replaced and someone MORE interested in making sure our children actually LEARN reading, writing, and arithmetic and such should replace em?
Title: Re: School books
Post by: zoozoo on April 29, 2008, 02:17:17 PM
my health class book is 33 years old  :aok
Title: Re: School books
Post by: C(Sea)Bass on April 29, 2008, 02:19:26 PM
my health class book is 33 years old  :aok

So your one of lucky ones. Your health class has books. Mine never did. Our history books ended when Nixon was still in office.
Title: Re: School books
Post by: lazs2 on April 29, 2008, 02:26:38 PM
the answer is......

Vouchers

lazs
Title: Re: School books
Post by: lasersailor184 on April 29, 2008, 02:38:50 PM
This has nothing to do with vouchers Lazs.




I personally stopped buying my textbooks years back.
Title: Re: School books
Post by: lazs2 on April 29, 2008, 02:40:31 PM
beg to differ.. it most certainly does have to do with vouchers..  a catholic school will give you a good education no matter what, or how old, the books are.

lazs
Title: Re: School books
Post by: Sikboy on April 29, 2008, 02:44:29 PM
beg to differ.. it most certainly does have to do with vouchers..  a catholic school will give you a good education no matter what, or how old, the books are.

lazs

No, I got into Catholic University, and they used the same textbooks we did at George Washington.

-Sik
Title: Re: School books
Post by: lazs2 on April 29, 2008, 02:52:42 PM
how does that contradict what I said?  Some catholic schools have outdated books... some don't..  same for public schools..  Catholics just make it work no matter what the tools.

lazs
Title: Re: School books
Post by: Sikboy on April 29, 2008, 02:57:23 PM
how does that contradict what I said?  Some catholic schools have outdated books... some don't..  same for public schools..  Catholics just make it work no matter what the tools.

lazs

Lazs,

The story was about over-priced college textbooks. I'm not sure how the voucher debate plays into that.

-Sik
Title: Re: School books
Post by: zoozoo on April 29, 2008, 04:25:07 PM
OH  yeah and today we learned about STD's in health class and oral sex. WHOOOOPEEEE :frown:
Title: Re: School books
Post by: Shaky on April 29, 2008, 06:26:54 PM
OH  yeah and today we learned about STD's in health class and oral sex. WHOOOOPEEEE :frown:

OK...what you've basically just done is just thrown this baby seal to Laz...

(http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2006/11/shark191106_468x397.jpg)

Let the frenzy begin!

Title: Re: School books
Post by: zoozoo on April 29, 2008, 06:58:25 PM
OK...what you've basically just done is just thrown this baby seal to Laz...

(http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2006/11/shark191106_468x397.jpg)

Let the frenzy begin!


:rofl :rofl :rofl
Title: Re: School books
Post by: Trell on April 29, 2008, 07:28:49 PM
Never could understand how text books cost 100s for each class taken.  Dont see how the books are any better then similar ones at borders for 30-40
Title: Re: School books
Post by: wrag on April 29, 2008, 08:01:55 PM
Lazs,

The story was about over-priced college textbooks. I'm not sure how the voucher debate plays into that.

-Sik

Actually IIRC the story is NOT so much about overpriced textbooks but who is deciding what is being put in them.
Title: Re: School books
Post by: Sikboy on April 29, 2008, 08:37:41 PM
Actually IIRC the story is NOT so much about overpriced textbooks but who is deciding what is being put in them.

I must not be able to read so well. It really seemed about overpriced books and how best to deal with them.

-Sik
Title: Re: School books
Post by: narsus on April 29, 2008, 09:27:08 PM
When I was going for my masters, I found easily half the textbooks I bought we just worthless as any kind of study aide. So I stopped buying them and still aced the classes.

Now my meteorology and astronomy books, those I still read (informative and interesting).
Title: Re: School books
Post by: kamilyun on April 29, 2008, 11:14:23 PM
Both Congress and that writers of the article have a lot to learn.

- My department doesn't have a board that gets lavished with millions of $$ to make decisions on what books to choose.  I walk over to the university book store, tell them what book I want and that's it.  I had a sales rep come by my office two weeks ago.  He asked what I like about the book I'm using and what I wish I had in an ideal book.  I might get a copy to preview next year.  Many schools (and teaching hospitals) are starting to establish strict policies on "wining and dining".  At Stanford, you cannot even accept a ball point pen with a company's logo on it.  Zero gifts allowed.

- I'm not sure what the point of having "free market" in the classroom is?  In a class of 200 people...do you want every student choosing the book they think is the best value and then the teacher has to decide what homework problems to assign?  Or what order to teach the topics in?

- Most of the cost comes about when the printing companies decide to issue "a new and updated version".  They do this b/c the market is already saturated with old/used books and they need more $$$.  No problem with this, I understand they have to stay in business.  Eventually it does become a problem for the department/bookstore to get copies of the older version and you have to make the switch. 

- The university author is not a problem like described in the article.  The "books" are usually just photocopies stapled together.  Really this is the cheapest way to put together a course packet that has exactly what the instructor wants and usually costs only about $20.

- I'm not sure why Congress is involved.  This is something a university or high school could solve on it's own and really help to sell itself by looking after the students.