News Reality - Students Should Demand Their Colleges Produce Free Open Textbooks to End the Textbook Racket

"It's common knowledge that the cost of higher education in the United States is outrageous. And despite shockingly high tuitions, which bar many qualified students and burdens others with near lifelong debt, there is no significant relief in sight. Is it any wonder, therefore, that young people--and their families--are swarming to Bernie Sanders' rallies and cheering his proposal for free tuition at public colleges and universities? But many economists and political leaders say his plan is unrealistic. At the same time, though, these detractors acknowledge that the college dropout rate and denial of access for others will significantly impact the competitiveness of the U.S. in the global marketplace. Let's also not forget that Sanders' "unrealistic" program for free and affordable college education is a reality on every continent. While the rise in tuition at both private and public colleges has been broadly discussed and debated there is another runaway cost that has received much less attention and yet still takes a significant bite out of students' budgets. According to several reports, the cost of textbooks has doubled over the last decade and has risen 1,041 percent since 1977. And you don't need studies to confirm that ..."