Well I certainly agree with that. And the solution is pretty obvious to me. Here is the way you do it:
1. Burn all the politically correct, 10 lb, full color, very expensive algebra texts currently in vogue and ban their use forever.
2. Purchase any 1910 algebra textbook weighing in at 6-7 ounces or so and use it to teach algebra using the old fashioned and proven Theory, Example Problems and Problems for the Student approach.
Advantages: Schools save $billions, students learn algebra and they don't need a backpack to lug their math book to school.
I’m a history teacher. I tutor pretty much every subject except foreign languages, and that’s exactly what I do. :)
It’s really not that hard! Take a couple weeks and keep working at it and you’ll wonder why it gave you so many problems!