Back Breaking Textbooks Obsolete

Question on the frontpage of my newspaper today: " Would you ask your child to walk to school carrying a box of rocks on his back ? "

It seems that the kids' backpacks are getting so heavy that there is a serious risk of back injury. And so if they emerge from high school with rocks in their heads for brains, they will not even qualify for those " backbreaking jobs " waiting for the drop out, the semi-literate, the unskilled.

But the computer revolution and the Internet should make those dull,heavy, often unreadable and panic inspiring 5-10 pound school textbooks things of the
past. They are - let's face it -nothing but money making rackets. Textbook authors and publishers often have hardly a clue about arousing interest in subjects that many people find fascinating.

Most of those formidable Calculus textbooks are the heartless, wretched product of greedy hacks without a creative bone their heads. But they might cost the school kid $75.00 . What a rip off!

The same is true for history, biology, physics, chemistry, and even English Literature texts. As if the very purpose of the texts was to break the spirit -as well as the backs - of students

Substitute for these ridiculous monuments to boredom a half a dozen magazine-like texts and attractive workbooks - used in sequence during
the semester.

Finally, since most teachers -robot like-say the same yawn provoking stuff year after year, REPLACE THEM with more interesting audio and video tapes.

Now and then the slow witted pupil might benefit from the presence of a real live teacher, working as a NON-UNIONIZED ,part time course advisor.

We can -with the help of the Bill Gates inspiration (read his thoughts on education revolution ) - make education in the United States CHEAPER & BETTER.

And get an oppressive load off the kids' backs.