When my sister and I were in middle and high school, my mom bought us a second set of textbooks. We were able to find good deals online, and it tremendously helped cut down the amount of weight we carried back and forth. What's your solution?

My kids use those wheeled packs like luggage.

Books? Why don't we get the option of modern media like CD-ROM?

I believe the issue that was raised was that the children at the middle school are NOT allowed backpacks and they have limited time to go to their lockers, therefore they must carry a large heavy stack of books from class to class. It seems like this issue should be looked into and perhanps amended. How does it make sense that the kids carry pencils, books folders, a master binder, house keys etc without the use of a bag, epecially when they can only use their lockers twice during the day?

P.S. The master binders don't hold up, the papers shred, the clips don't hold, things fall out etc. My son is on his 3rd..it's only November.

you really have to see if the TEXT books are even getting opened during the class time and if not they should be left home for homework and study. maybe there may be access to some of the heavier ones in the online databases for the local library. And in reference to the middle school not being allowed back packs, the PTA should get involved with maybe a pediatrician to consult with the administrators to come up with a better idea. Our children need a chance to grow up and avoid the back problems. I hope that someone will make this a priority. I know my kids are grownups now, but just watching the little ones come out of the schools at dismissal time (while stopped at the traffic light on forest) is really sad. good luck to all the parents out there.

Well, we know they're carrying them, but are they reading them?