Yes. This has been a problem for years. It's like skimming cream off the top
for college textbook publishers. Also, K-12 publishers are just as greedy.
We need to get the K-12 project going. Believe me, once we create a
*quality* K-12 book, based on strict state framework standards (ideally,
California, because that would make, by far, the biggest impact), we could
revolutionize the whole textbook creation and adoption process. University
books are also ripe for reform, but they are really less of a challenge than
the K-12 sector. The K-12 publishers really have a stranglehold on the
books, the pricing, and the process. Millions of kids, parents, and
teachers - and our society - lose in this antiquated process.
Before sending anything to Slashdot, as Karl suggests, I think it would
behoove us to get something substantial underway, or have something
finished. Otherwise, it's just empty promises.
Here are some more links to an excellent series (expose) in K-12 books that
was done about 8 months ago in the San Jose Mercury News. Additionally, an
excellent piece from Forbes.
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4743883.htm
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4749572.htm
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/living/education/4756801.htm
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2000/1030/6612178a_print.html
Best,
Sanford
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Ehrenberg" <littledanehren(a)yahoo.com>
To: "Wikimedia textbook discussion" <textbook-l(a)Wikipedia.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] NYT article on textbook prices
--- Karl Wick <karlwick(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
This was on the front page of my local paper
this
morning:
"When Books Break the Bank"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/16/nyregion/16BOOK.html?pagewanted=all&p…
An article about outrageous textbook prices and the
things
that students are doing to avoid paying them. (No
mention
of our site unfortunately).
I saw old NYT articles on Sept 11 archived on the
main
wikipedia .. could we do that with this one, put the
text
on Wikibooks ?
I'm sorry to say this, but no Wikibooks book is
anywhere near usable quality, especially in a college
environment.
LDan
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