On 22/05/2010 10:19 PM, Patrick Elliott wrote:
>> Whose fault is that?
>>
>>
>>
> Hard to say actually. #1 buyer of text books = California. #2 = Texas.
> Its a bit like whining that the only alternative to the Windows machine
> in the local computer shop is a Mac.

Ignorance is a wonderful thing. :-)

> Most schools do not have the time,
> or the money, to go out and buy from other publishers.

That is really not good enough. In the British Isles we have 5 separate 
educational systems and although England, Wales and Northern Ireland 
have similar curriculums there are subjects such as Irish and Welsh, 
language and history which require separate books. Scotland and the 
Republic of Ireland are different and have their own book lists. 
Compare the 65.8 million people living on these islands to the 36.5 
million in California, 23.9 in Texas and 305 million in the USA as a 
whole. Someone is not doing his/her/their job properly. If  countries as 
small as Scotland (5.2 million), NI (1.8 million) and Wales (3 million) 
can commission and source their own books then I imagine that Los 
Angeles (4 million) could do it for all of California.

> Those publishers
> may not be able to support the volume, and unfortunately, most of the
> country is bamboozled into believing in the three bullshits talking
> points always being pushed - Taxes should be lower, the government can't
> do anything right, and states have rights, parents know better then
> anyone else what their kids need to believe and learn to be good citizens.
>

The last bit I believe.

> Of course, #1 only counts, as long as its social services, or other
> people's pet projects, not *yours*.

As it does the world over ;-)

> #2 is almost a direct consequence of
[snip]

> scale, would be politician, gets themselves elected to it.




-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

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