Let me ask you something?

How would you like to carry a two or three year old child on your back for 30 minutes to an hour a day? Doesnt sound like too much fun? Well, did you know that the average students backpack weights between 20 30 poundsthe approximate weight of a two to three year old child? Thats rightand we carry these backpacks to and from school and between classes five days a week. Medical professionals recommend that people should not carry more than 10-15% of their body weight on their back. Carry more than this on your back can over time cause chronic back pain and injurynot to mention poor posture. So what is causing students backpack to be so heavy? Textbooks! Students carry two to five textbooks at a time-in addition to other supplies. Today I ask you --are textbooks essential to learning in the modern public school OR just a pain in the neck? Many people believe that textbooks are essential. Some feel if textbooks were removed from schools education would crumble and the world would come to an end. But seriously, textbooks do provide teachers with good material and help make lesson planning much easier. Textbooks are the most widely

in the United States 75% of instructional time in secondary classrooms and 90% of time assigned to homework involves the use of textbooks. These books provide the basis for what will be
used resource for teachers in the United States. A recent study showed that taught in a course and in what order. If school districts did not adopt textbooks, some argue, how could you be sure that all students are taught the necessary information? Without textbooks, wouldnt each teacher be left to choose whatever information he wanted to teach and how could a school be sure that the information presented was accurate? If all teachers follow the textbookwe can be certain that all students are taught the same material. Those who feel textbooks are essential are aware that much of the same material is available in a digital format. The internet has as much or more information on any given subject as a textbook and almost any novel you would like to read can be purchase as an ebook and read on an e-reader, laptop, or even a smart phone. However, is reading information or a book on a computer screen or other technical device as easy as reading words on a printed page? Many argue that is more difficult and it strains your eyes. Many feel the luxury of turning the pages, highlighting and taking notes right in the book are important and will never be replaced by technology. On the other hand, many people believe that textbooks are no longer essential due to modern technology. Many believe it is more efficient to provide classrooms with a computer for each student and believe it is necessary to close the technology gap for families that do not have internet access in their home. Many school district in Texas and across the United States issue laptop computers to each student as young as sixth grade. Textbooks, assignments, and school district information is available to the student at all times. Students are required to submit assignments and test by email on through other digital means. Textbooks, these people argue, use too much paper, take up too much storage space, are easily damaged, and must be replace every four to six years. Texas spends as much as $500 million dollars on textbooks a year. The State purchases textbooks and provides them to each school district according to student enrollment . Why cant the state give the money spent on textbooks directly to the school district and let each district decide how best to spend the money?