Yesterday, I had the grim experience of examining another disgraceful
doorstop, which has been adopted by a local high school.
Algebra 1
Holt, Rinehart and Winston (2007)
921 pages, plus 165 additional pages at the end.
Authors: Edward B. Burger, David J. Chard, Earlene J. Hall, Paul A.
Kennedy, Steven J. Leinwand, Freddie L. Renfro, Dale G. Seymour, Bert
K. Waits
Also listed are 28 Reviewers, 2 Contributing Authors, and 4 Field
Participants
I was told that students do not actually use the book. They simply
keep it at home for "reference." The teacher distributes photocopies
of handouts that come with the doorstop.
The fact that these abominable doorstops are being written, published,
promoted, and adopted is indicative of the incompetent people who have
overrun the education business in the U.S.--and who are primarily
responsible for the continuing pseudo-education of American students.
To get an idea of how our textbooks have degenerated, compare the
above with William G. Shute et al, "Elementary Algebra," American Book
Co. (1956). [The 1965 Enlarged Edition, which evidently responded to
"market forces," is identical except for some axioms and set theory
added at the end of the book.]
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