Editor,
In the Daily Lobo article “Alleged textbook thief caught” on Aug. 24, the report quotes UNMPD Spokesman Lt. Robert Haarhues as saying, “You can steal a $200 book and you can get $60.” I feel that the alleged thieves, if found guilty, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I do not advocate criminal activity in any way.
When I first attended college in 1986, the most expensive textbooks cost about $25 to $50. So why are textbooks so expensive now? Perhaps bookstore companies know that many students are lacking funds and have to depend on federal and state student aid.
By conveniently allowing students to charge against their expected aid, the Bookstore becomes many students sole resource for purchasing textbooks. Many bookstores, and the entire textbook publishing industry, do business that borders on racketeering. No textbook should cost $200 or more.
Why do we need new editions of calculus books every few years or so? Calculus hasn’t changed much in the last several centuries, and what is taught and learned hasn’t changed at all in the last several decades.
How about those $200 physics books that teach Newtonian Physics? Sir Isaac Newton passed away in 1727. Most of us know what this is really all about. It is quite shameful. This sort of behavior contributes to the United States’ lower population of people with higher academic degrees.
Perhaps if textbooks were priced at fair, moral, reasonable prices, we would have less incentive for textbook theft. Also, Haarhues says, “Some kids can’t afford to buy the books, so they might steal.” This seems to be quite a sorry state of affairs.
Jeffrey Shepherd
UNM student
