Reductions in Funding Leave Texas Public Schools with Outdated Textbooks

Lubbock, TX, Avalanche-Journal ^ | 09-02-03 | AP

[Theodore R.]

Reductions in funding leaves schools with outdated textbooks

AUSTIN — Texas history teachers this year won't have to use antiquated textbooks that name Dan Morales as attorney general. After all, the state's former top legal official is headed to federal prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion charges.

Other textbooks won't be as current.

Despite pleas from the state Board of Education, the Legislature cut textbook funding by $182 million this year. As the school year begins, some books are as many as 14 years old, and gaffes in accuracy are inevitable.

For example: the Food and Drug Administration now recommends two to three servings of dairy a day, but outdated health books still recommend four daily dairy servings.

Jim Hutchinson, a high school health teacher in Bastrop, said recent strides in research and health care have turned numerous truths into fallacies.

"In the AIDS and HIV chapter, treatments were so limited at the time the book was written there were just three possible treatments. Now there are probably hundreds," Hutchinson said

[Theodore R.]

The counties are free to purchase their own books provided the books are on the state-approve list.

[Dead Corpse]

With all the increases in property taxes and bond issues, one has to wonder where the screaming f%ck all that money went to.

[Cheapskate]

There is one silver lining in the funnell cloud.

The history revisionists can't do their magic on an older textbook.

[camle]

why izzit that a 14 year old book only becomes problamatic when the school wants more funding THIS YEAR?

Where was the need to replace tha book been the past 13 years? If funding is the issue, then why wasn't it replaced LAST YEAR before the money got caught.

[Onelifetogive]

some books are as many as 14 years old, and gaffes in accuracy are inevitable.

For example: the Food and Drug Administration now recommends two to three servings of dairy a day, but outdated health books still recommend four daily dairy servings.
"In the AIDS and HIV chapter, treatments were so limited at the time the book was written there were just three possible treatments. Now there are probably hundreds," Hutchinson said.

These are te two best "fallacies" they could come up with. Nanny government telling kids how much milk to drink and how to treat the AIDS they will get if the perform any of the recommendations from their health class.....

[Centurion2000]

Print up a simple insert of a few pages like an errata bulletin. It saves a boatload of money and requires a few cents in printing costs per book.

Simple enough solution.

[Arrowhead1952]

Where was the need to replace tha book been the past 13 years? If funding is the issue, then why wasn't it replaced LAST YEAR before the money got caught.

The media and the RATs are using this as an excuse to blame the Republicans and the governor for the redistricting issue. All the BS is about the fact that the RATs are in "self-imposed exile" to block that issue, and the school funding bill died.

[dfwgator]

Even better solution, how about getting eBooks online. You can make changes and they are immediately available. Plus you save on the binding and distribution costs. Ah, but the book companies will never allow it. They've got a nice racket going, why mess with it?

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[DustyMoment]

My thoughts exactly!!!!

[DeFault User]

As the school year begins, some books are as many as 14 years old,

Does this statement strike anyone else as bogus? How can a textbook last 14 years in the hands of public school students.

During my days as a student in Texas, we were given books at the beginning of the year and instructed to sign our name and school year in the appropriate blank on a stamped form in the front of the book. Books that lasted down through line 5 or 6 yearly blanks (forget the actual maximum) were so beaten up they were often held together with tape with torn and marked pages, etc., etc. I can't imagine a book lasting 14 years with that sort of use.