Professors rely too much on one-sided textbooks

Editor,

I am generally in support of the idea that professors choose their own textbooks and that any book will have the agenda of the author in mind. But recently, I have encountered a situation where the books professors choose are so one-sided that rather than feeling like I'm learning about the subject I'm paying to learn, I end up listening to the soap-box ramblings of someone I'm not allowed to disagree with.

With increasing frequency, professors require texts that support some viewpoint they adhere to. This makes sense for a discussion course, but for 100- or 200-level classes where I'm supposed to be learning basic concepts and ideas, I feel cheated. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and that includes me. I'd rather draw my own conclusions than have them forced down my throat.

Ashley Brooks

UNM student